Public Safety officers asked a group of about 30 male students participating in a milk-drinking contest to leave the Rocky Dining Hall yesterday during dinner.
The students, many of whom are varsity athletes, hold the contest annually around this time of year. "It's a fun and ridiculous contest to see who can drink the most milk," participant Mike Jorgensen '07 said last night.
The group sat around a few tables near the entrance to the dining hall trying to drink as much milk as they could before vomiting. One percent, two percent and chocolate milk were all fair game in the contest, though skim milk didn't count.
But the directors of studies of Rocky and Mathey soon asked them to leave.
Rocky Director of Studies Rebecca Graves-Bayazitoglu said in an email that "the group was loud and they were intruding on other students' meals and making their conversation difficult." She added that at least one student told a Rocky staff member that the group was "making her uncomfortable in her own dining hall."
Graves-Bayazitoglu said she approached the group to ask them to stop the contest. When they refused, she called Public Safety. When officers arrived, the group left the dining hall voluntarily and the officers asked some participants for their PUIDs.
"I've done this [the milk contest] before, and it was exactly the same as it has been in the past," Jorgensen said. "It's never involved Public Safety or any trouble with administrators before. I was just confused about why it was such an issue."
Graves-Bayazitoglu said the contest disturbed the ambiance of the Rocky Dining Hall and could lead to students getting ill. "If the event proceeded as it did last year and led to participants being sick, it would definitely be a violation of Rocky's community standards," she said.
Graves-Bayazitoglu said she recalled that members of the Rocky college staff had found "white-colored vomit" from a milk-drinking contest on the ramp leading to Nassau Street from Madison Hall last spring.
Jorgensen said the group was fully aware they were in an open, University space. "We had already been reminded that there was a family atmosphere in the dining hall, and that we should be careful," he said. "It was totally innocent. We were just a bunch of friends drinking milk, no one had thrown up, we were all there completely voluntarily, and we didn't understand why we had to leave."
He added that the Dining Services employees are involved and excited about the contest each year.
"They asked us when it would be in advance so they could get more milk," Jorgensen said. "They put out a huge orange Gatorade container filled with milk and a trash can in case anyone got sick."
The group drinks milk, he added, because it is safer to drink in large quantities than water or other beverages because "your body lets you know when you've had enough."
Jorgensen stressed that no alcohol was involved in any way. "The University seems a little paranoid about students drinking anything," he said.
Jorgensen said that before Public Safety arrived the contest was "really fun, just a good time with friends." He drank two glasses of two percent milk and one glass of chocolate milk during the contest.
Read More
Joseph ’25 next Young Alumni Trustee in 21 percent turnout election
Vitus LarrieuGil Joseph ’25 won the Young Alumni Trustee election, which saw 21 percent turnout. Joseph, Stephen Padlo ’25 and Ben Wachspress ’25 competed in the final round of elections after advancing from a notably large primary in April.
Gil Joseph ’25 won the Young Alumni Trustee election, which saw 21 percent turnout. Joseph, Stephen Padlo ’25 and Ben Wachspress ’25 competed in the final round of elections after advancing from a notably large primary in April.
‘A brilliant young contemporary writer and a beautiful human being’: Remembering Lauren Blackburn ’26
Victoria Davies and Caitlyn TabladaBlackburn was found deceased by authorities on April 25, several days after he was reported missing. He was 23 years old at the time of his death and is remembered by friends and mentors as a brilliant writer, voracious learner, and loving friend. A family obituary said he passed away after a “courageous battle with bipolar disorder.”
Blackburn was found deceased by authorities on April 25, several days after he was reported missing. He was 23 years old at the time of his death and is remembered by friends and mentors as a brilliant writer, voracious learner, and loving friend. A family obituary said he passed away after a “courageous battle with bipolar disorder.”
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.