In an attempt to reduce the amount of participants in the semi-annual Pub Crawl event on Oct. 8, UW Oshkosh is closing parking lots to those without permits and turning away all dorm visitors.

Sophomore and North Scott resident Cameron Meinholz said the restrictions during Pub Crawl are “bogus.”

“It’s just an annoyance at this point,” Meinholz said. “It’s not like they’re going to prevent [Pub Crawl] from happening.”

Check-in hours for the dorms during the weekend are 24 hours starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday Oct.7 and will return to normal check-in hours Sunday morning.

Director of Residence Life Thomas Fojtik said the University Police Department gave them information that said a disproportionate amount of incidents during Pub Crawl are committed by non-UWO students who are visiting residents in the dorms.

“Since we went to this policy [in 2015], the number of Pub Crawl-related issues in the halls has gone down significantly,” Fojtik said.

According to Fojtik, previous problems with Pub Crawl in the dorms have included noise complaints, building damages and extra clean-up due to people getting sick from drinking excessively.

Freshman and North Scott resident Caiden Roig said the policy of not allowing guests during Pub Crawl makes sense, but thinks the previous students ruined it for the future students.

“I wish it wasn’t that way, but I understand why they did it,” Roig said.

Assistant Director for Student Safety and Conduct Joann Barnes said people could face sanctions which are determined by a number of factors, including the seriousness of the violation and if the person has had previous violations.

“The sanctions for underage drinking violations would typically involve [Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse] education through the University Counseling Center,” Barnes said. “If a visitor is from another UW system school, the incident report would typically be sent to that UW school. Policy violations for non-students could result in restriction from all residence halls, or possibly from the UW Oshkosh campus.”

UPD Captain Chris Tarmann, speaking on behalf of Parking and Transportation Services Manager Benjamin Richardson, said the open lots will have times listed as “permit parking only.”

“A few lots are closed and will be barricaded and we’ll have patrolling Community Service Officers and Police personnel writing citations to non-permit holders,” Tarmann said.

Tarmann said people parking in the closed or permit parking only lots could receive a citation or be towed at the owner’s expense.

Meinholz said he had a friend who wanted to come up, but couldn’t due to the restrictions in place.

“I agree with the check-in hours being extended,” Meinholz said. “The whole no guests whatsoever thing, I think that’s not necessary.”

Meinholz said if the campus wants Pub Crawl to die out they need to stop hyping it up.

“Like they said in that video last year, it’s not a real holiday,” Meinholz said. “They keep preparing for it like it is. So they’re kind of giving it legitimacy and if they just stopped concerning themselves about it then I think you would see less rebelliousness during this weekend.”

Freshman and North Scott resident Ethan Benicke said it is unfortunate for people who don’t participate in Pub Crawl.

“I have people who want to come to my dorm on the weekends sometimes, but I have to tell them no,” Benicke said. “It’s an unfair advantage to others.”

According to Roig, Pub Crawl is what Oshkosh is known for.

“Everyone that I talk to came here for Pub Crawl and can’t wait to experience it,” Roig said. “They want to know what it is.”

Benicke said Pub Crawl should stick around on campus and in the community because it’s something for people to do in Oshkosh.

“It’s a give and take towards the situation,” Benicke said. “There’s positives to it, it helps businesses earn money, [but] it doesn’t help campus with safety issues.”

Roig said he thinks the university and students can meet in the middle on a compromise for Pub Crawl, and that the university has taken good precautions with restrictions like the no guest rule.

“I guess [they] could figure out some safe guidelines to make sure it’s safe for everybody, but everyone still has fun,” Roig said. “And make sure it isn’t too destructive for the campus, the city and the community itself.”