Neighbors fed up with ‘rowdy’ off-campus PC parties

by: Alexandra Leslie

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The majority of the Providence City Council has signed on to a letter calling out “ongoing and unacceptable behavior” from Providence College students taking place at off-campus parties.

ORIGINAL NOTE: https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/letter-neighbors-fed-up-with-rowdy-off-campus-pc-parties/

Councilwoman Shelley Peterson, who represents Ward 14, emailed the letter to PC President Rev. Kenneth Sicard and copied the college’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday. She said the neighbors who live near the college are frustrated and disappointed because of “repeated instances of rowdy and disruptive behavior” from students at off-campus parties.

“The conduct we’ve witnessed is deeply disrespectful to neighborhood residents,” Peterson said. “The positive qualities and accomplishments of your students and all that they bring to the community should not be overshadowed by this ongoing and unacceptable behavior.”

Peterson was one of nine councilors to sign the letter. Councilors Justin Roias, Helen Anthony, Oscar Vargas, John Goncalves, Juan Pichardo, Pedro Espinal, Mary Kay Harris and Miguel Sanchez also signed.

PC students went back to class on Tuesday, but some arrived on campus in late August. The college announced with 1,231 students, its Class of 2028 was the largest class in the college’s history thus far.

Peterson said the past five days have been “a clear indication of the expected problems in the new academic year.” She said gatherings of over 200 students have “already taken over our neighborhoods.”

“Students have been seen roaming the streets in highly inebriated states, disturbing the peace, littering, and even urinating and defecating on private property,” Peterson added.

The councilor also urged the college to review student conduct on various social media accounts, “where the disregard for our neighborhoods is on full display.”

“It’s eye opening and incredibly disappointing for many of my constituents,” Peterson said.

Peterson said the behavior at PC isn’t new, but rather an issue that’s been “ongoing and worsening for years.” She said that it’s time for the college “to take responsibility and action,” since the efforts that were previously taken aren’t working.

“We had numerous complaints starting at 8 a.m. on last Thursday, where there were parties and just loud music speakers competing against each other, a lot of students, congregating in certain houses, and it lasted all day,” Peterson told 12 News.

Peterson said residents are fed up, and it has severely impacted their quality of life.

“These aren’t just burdens that are short term, and then somebody turns the music down. These are parties that that continue on and on and on,” Peterson said. And our residents are mad, our neighborhood is mad.”

“I must remind you that your responsibility to this community does not end at the gates on Eaton Street or Huxley Avenue,” Peterson said in her letter. “Adjacent to your campus are families with infants and school-aged children, senior citizens, and even your own faculty members and employees.”

Peterson said the college needs to implement stricter guidelines for student conduct, enhance communication between the college and residents, grant police autonomy to provide additional detail when needed, discuss city ordinances about noise and public disruption with all students and support initiatives that “encourage students to be respectful and participatory members of the broader Providence community.”

Carolyn Cronin, a spokesperson for Providence College, said the school has received the letter and is taking the matter seriously.

“We believe in collaboration and have responded to the letter suggesting a meeting to discuss the items of concern,” Cronin said. “Our hope is to have open dialogue, create avenues for more open communication, transparency, and to mitigate any ongoing concerns regarding off campus behavior and safety moving forward.”

Alex Torres-Perez contributed to this report.