Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) will be knocking on doors in Ottawa ahead of Panda Game for the first time this year.
The door-knocking initiative is meant to promote good student conduct during the annual Panda football game versus the University of Ottawa at TD Place on Oct. 5, according to CUSA president Lily Akagbosu.
“We’ll be taking out a team to the neighbourhood to basically knock on doors, provide some door hangers with some positive messaging around Panda,” Akagbosu said.
“Just one big community initiative to show that students are committed to conducting themselves in responsible manners during the game.”
The team will consist of CUSA executives, members of the CUSA street team and possibly CUSA staff members, some football players, and members of the university’s administration, said Akagbosu.
She added the initiative comes partially as a result of complaints about unruly students filed with the city in the past, but also because CUSA wants to be proactive to prevent poor conduct.
“If we want our students to engage in events, we want to make sure that we’re providing safer spaces, not just for the students, but for those who are in the neighbourhoods where these events are taking place,” she said.
When asked about the logistics of the event, such as which neighbourhoods will be visited, how many houses will receive a knock on their door, and when this initiative will be taking place, CUSA did not have a clear answer.
“Potentially next Tuesday, October 1, or Wednesday,” Akagbosu said, but she added she is “not directly in charge of implementing that, they’ll figure out those specific logistics over the next few days.”
CUSA vice-president (student life) Jamie Laxton, who is in charge of Panda programming, did not respond to the Charlatan’s request for comment about the logistics of the initiative.
In addition to door knocking, CUSA will be posting social media campaigns “to ensure that we’re reinforcing that message of safety and good conduct for students,” Akagbosu added.
Despite Carleton administration’s support of the initiative, students are not sure about CUSA knocking on doors.
Karli Routhier, a fourth-year criminology student, said she doesn’t think door knocking is necessary because Panda is an annual event.
“I just feel like it should be expected if you live in that area that if there’s a major university event going on, there’s probably going to be some rowdy students—especially if there’s alcohol being served there as well,” Routhier said.
She also added she doesn’t think the people participating in the door-knocking initiative should be using school resources.
“Volunteering—like that’s cool, it’s your free time, do whatever you like,” Routhier said. “But if they’re using school funds to pay people to create awareness of this event, then I don’t really feel it’s necessary.”
Josh Squarzolo, a first-year forensic psychology student hoping to attend Panda for the first time this year, said he thinks the campaigning should have stayed online.
“Just post it online or something rather than going door to door,” he said. “Or maybe even a radio thing.”
Squarzolo added that he lives close to the stadium himself and can hear the crowds when an event takes place, but he still doesn’t think the noise around Panda merits door knocking.
“It doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “I don’t see how it would, like if you live near that kind of thing, you’d come to expect that.”
David Amenwisdom, a second-year communications student who has yet to attend Panda, said although he thinks door knocking may not be effective, he can understand CUSA’s reasoning.
“I mean is that gonna do much? It’s not gonna make them any happier about the students being noisy I don’t think,” Amenwisdom said.
“Maybe it’s kind of like a courtesy thing,” he added. “They can’t really stop the students from being noisy, so I guess that’s the best thing they can do is just let them know what’s gonna happen.”
When asked what he thinks about the door hangers CUSA will be giving out to Ottawa residents, Amenwisdom said he doesn’t see the value.
“I don’t know what that’s going to do, I don’t think it’s going to help much, I don’t think much is going to change,” he said.
Amenwisdom added he would not react well if CUSA knocked on his door.
“I would not be happy,” he said.
Featured image from file.
