Campus Announcements

Soon it will be Renn Fayre! It is time to celebrate! For those of us in and around Eliot Hall, the celebrating has already begun. I love this time of year, when seniors begin turning in their theses and they are showered by love (and maybe a beverage or two) by their friends.

In my work with them this year, I’ve been so impressed by our wonderful Renn Fayre Czars. The Czars have made it clear that their priority is planning an inclusive and glorious event with opportunities for every member of our community to have fun and feel represented. When I say “every member of the community” I do mean all of us—Renn Fayre will have events, programs, and opportunities designed to include the entire campus community, including faculty and staff.

This year’s Renn Fayre theme is Lucid Dream. I’m wondering how many Elvis impersonators we’ll see. Please consider coming to define and discover Renn Fayre 2019 for yourself, and joining all those from the Reed community who will be here making it the best event that it can be.

A most useful resource for navigating all of the weekend fun is the annual Renn Fayre edition of the Quest. In the Quest you will find a list of events and programs, as well as maps and schedules. The Quest can be found in the GCC foyer starting Friday afternoon, and I’ve provided a list of family-friendly events and locations below.

Faculty and Staff Passes

Renn Fayre passes are available for every staff and faculty member, and one guest—invite a partner, family member, or friend. Children young enough to stay with you at all times do not require a pass of their own.  See family-friendly activities listed at the bottom of this message.

Remember to bring your Reed ID when picking up your passes in the Dean of Students’ Office in Eliot 218. Passes are available starting Tuesday, April 30, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please pick up your passes by Thursday, May 2. After May 2, you can pick up your passes at the pass sales window on the southeast side of the Student Union. Please be aware that there is often a long line at the pass sales window.  

All Renn Fayre attendees are expected to proudly wear their Renn Fayre bracelets throughout the weekend. Please be sure to wear your pass if you are on campus over the weekend.

Pass sales will be located at the KRRC window (across from Old Dorm Block) during the following hours:

• Thursday, May 2, 4–8 p.m.
• Friday, May 3, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5–9 p.m.  
• Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

If you plan to bring additional guests, they should be present with you when you purchase their passes.

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Reed’s Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) policy is in effect every day of the year, including during Renn Fayre. The Community Safety staff and Bagel Patrol will be working hard throughout the weekend to keep our community safe. As a community guided by the Honor Principle, we have a responsibility to keep each other safe and to act when we see people engaged in harmful or dishonorable behavior. Please refer to Reed’s AOD policy for more specific information.

At Reed we place a high value on taking care of one another.  During times of celebration this ethos continues. If you see illegal or dangerous behavior (or if you’re just uncomfortable with something that that you observe), I encourage you to respond in a way that you feel is appropriate and productive.

Please understand that “doing nothing” has implications for students and for the college. Taking care of one another can mean doing something meaningful within your comfort zone.  Options for doing something meaningful include:

1. Approach the students: You can tell them that as a member of the Reed community you are concerned about their behavior. You can ask them to stop in a friendly and direct manner. This is your right as a member of an honor-bound community.
2. Call Community Safety at 503-771-1112 or 0 from a campus phone: They can send an officer to approach the students. Officers will be operating in accordance with Reed’s official policies and procedures throughout the weekend.

Please be conscious of your own behavior at Renn Fayre.  While I encourage you to fully and enthusiastically participate in the celebration, remember that students pay attention to what we do. Whether it’s obvious or not, students know and discuss how we as faculty and staff members behave at Renn Fayre. 

Keeping Renn Fayre Safe

If you notice any seriously concerning or dangerous behavior, please contact Community Safety immediately. We will have on-call systems in place to deal with the full range of potential emergencies, including sexual assault, mental health issues, crime reports, or concerns about a non-Reed community member on campus during Renn Fayre.  In addition, a multitude of volunteers including students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as professional medical staff (White Bird), work hard to make Renn Fayre safe. What follows is a brief description of the groups you may encounter during Renn Fayre:

White Bird: These festival medics include a staff of experienced doctors, nurses, and EMTs who have for years now run the White Bird tent in front of the Student Center 24 hours a day from noon on Friday through 6 p.m. Sunday.  They are available to administer first aid and to treat and evaluate students who may present with a variety of medical issues.

Bagel Patrol: Based out of their “lounge” on the main floor of Eliot Hall, these folks can be seen toting bagels and water around campus.  They are there to make sure that people are safe and can get help if anyone on campus is in trouble. They call Community Safety and/or White Bird for help if necessary and provide a safe and quiet place for students to rest as needed.

Community Safety Officers: Up to 10 officers at a time patrol the campus grounds and work 12-hour shifts throughout Renn Fayre weekend.  You are encouraged to call if you need their assistance. Please thank them when you see them around campus.

Faculty, staff, and students participating in Renn Fayre: Remember Reed’s ethos of helping other community members. If someone looks like they’re in trouble, do something meaningful.  If you see someone who may not belong on campus, please seek help from one of the groups listed above. This is your community and your help contributes to keeping everyone safe.

Just as it does throughout the year, your presence over the weekend can have a positive impact on our students and on our college.

Soon it will be Renn Fayre! Can’t wait to see you there.

Sincerely,

Bruce

Bruce Smith
Dean of Students
Reed College
503-777.7521

Family-Friendly Events

Blue Lodge, the substance-free lodge, is located in Winch and has snacks, activities, and places to sit down and relax. Blue Lodge hours are:

Friday: 6 p.m.–midnight

Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–midnight

Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Food carts will be parked in front of the library all weekend! Sit at a picnic table and enjoy great food from our FF2k19 food cart partners. Food cart hours are:

Friday: 5–10 p.m.

Saturday: 11 a.m.–11 p.m

Sunday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m

The PB&J station is a great place to grab a snack and hang out! Located on the first floor of the Physical Plant, PB&J hours are:

Friday: 5–10 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m.–midnight

Sunday: 9 a.m.–12 p.m

A campus-wide softball tournament begins Saturday at 9 a.m. and runs all weekend. A bracket with game schedule and locations will be available in this week’s Quest.

Fireworks on Saturday at 9:15 p.m. on the sports field are never a disappointment. The whole family can watch the show from any point on campus.

Reed’s very own aerial club performs an amazing show on the front lawn Sunday at 2 p.m.

 

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