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Dear Rams,

Halloween can be a wonderful time to get creative with costumes, have fun with friends, and celebrate at social gatherings. It is also one of the highest-risk times of the year for students related to personal safety and mental health challenges.

We are reaching out with a few steps you can take to keep our community safe while celebrating Halloween:

• When selecting Halloween costumes and fall decorations, remember that your choices have impact. Some popular costumes and décor reinforce harmful stereotypes and prejudices about culture, race, gender, disability, nationality, religion, socioeconomic class, mental illness, etc. Please be conscious of how your actions and behaviors can affect others and remember you can always choose a different costume or decoration theme.
• Register your Halloween party by Thursday, October 31 at 5 p.m. in Off-Campus Life (LSC 281); 98% of registered parties do not receive a citation so this step could save you up to $1,000. Please note this is a one-time exception to register same-day parties for those hosting a gathering Halloween night.
• If you choose to drink, make your own drinking choices. Drink only if you want to, stick to the limit you set for yourself, never accept a drink from someone you don’t know, never leave your drink unattended, and never mix alcohol with medications, illegal drugs, or energy drinks. Remember to eat something and drink water before, during, and after drinking.
• If you choose to use substances, know what’s in them. It is not uncommon for drugs to be cut/laced with Fentanyl. You can request Fentanyl testing strips online from CSU Health Network. Testing strips and Narcan are also located on the third floor in the Health Education and Prevention Services office and Mental Health Services waiting area Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as at campus pantries.
• Designate a driver or use RamRide. Have a plan before you go out for how you will safely get home and never leave a friend alone. Download the RamRide app to get a code for $15 of your Lyft ride Halloween night.
• Understand that consent is a clear, sober “Yes”. “Slow down,” “I’m not sure,” “We should wait” or silence is not consent. And a costume is not an invitation to grab someone, nor is Halloween an excuse to make sexual, racial, or harassing comments to anyone or engage in sexual activity without consent.
• Be aware. For safety updates such as closed roads, building outages, and safety alerts, text CSUALERT to 888777. For safety updates at university events such as football games or concerts, text CSURAMS to 888777. Review these safety tips and remember that all CSU safety alerts, updates, and resources are posted at safety.colostate.edu. When you are off campus, make sure someone is aware of your plans and use the buddy system.
• Take care of yourself and others. Rams Take Care of Rams means looking out for one another on and off campus, respecting one another, and helping one another.

We can all uphold CSU’s Principles of Community through our individual and collective actions and accountability this Halloween and throughout the year.

Blanche Hughes,
Vice President for Student Affairs

Kauline Cipriani,
Vice President for Inclusive Excellence

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