While the turn of the year typically means a clean slate, the IU Southeast Game Room has entered the 2018 spring semester on a bit of a rough note.

Just days into the new year, a vulgar image drawn on a wall depicting male genitalia left Campus Life officials no option but to close down the room until further notice.

On Thursday, Jan. 11, Amanda Felten, associate director of Campus Life, and Cari Edwards, Campus Life office assistant, held an open meeting regarding the recent misconduct. Of those present at the meeting was James Eversole, president of the Gamers’ Society.

“The only issues [Campus Life] really had other than the vandalism, which we’re fairly sure no one in our organization would ever do, was that we move chairs around a lot,” Eversole said.

For the first time in Gamers’ Society history, the organization will be implementing a floor plan in an effort to prevent further issues with chairs and tables in the small amount of space.

“That was their biggest issue that we knew was our fault,” Eversole said.

Along with the issue of space were a string of events leading to Amanda Felten’s decision to close the Game Room until Thursday’s meeting.

“I think frequency was one of the reasons  frequency of violations and frequency of complaints,” Felten said on the reasoning behind closing the Game Room. “I can tell you from what I’ve heard in the hallways, that got people’s attention.”

Just two years ago, the room was shut down for a full week after similar violations and complaints were filed, though this closing was a matter of just two days.

Changes to the Rulebook

While reflections on the recent violations were discussed, the majority of Thursday’s meeting involved thoughts on ways to prevent future violations.

A 13-point rule sheet was handed out to all attendees with detailed rules that are to be in place at all times. Multiple changes are now listed in the rules, some of which had been previously implemented.

“Anything that has ‘Crimson Card’ in it is new,” Eversole said. “Other than that, most of the rules are the same.”

Some of the new Game Room rules include the following:

• Individuals must present a current Crimson Card to use any University-owned or supplied equipment in the Campus Center Game Room.
• Children aged 17 and under must be accompanied by a person with a valid Crimson Card at all times.
• The Crimson Card will be kept on file until the equipment is returned or you are ready to leave the Game Room and equipment is officially transferred to another valid user.
• Crimson Cards will only be accepted from and returned to the individual pictured on the Crimson Card.
• Shoes are required to be worn at all times.

“Some of them are the same, but they just haven’t been enforced,” Felten said. “Part of that comes to we have a small staff.”

With the new rules added to the list, Eversole and the Gamers’ Society will be  helping Felten prevent further violations from occuring.

The Future for the Game Room

As the meeting came to a finale, Felten and the Gamers’ Society brainstormed ideas on ways to improve the Game Room for its users.

“The biggest improvement we could think of other than enforcing the rules is we’re definitely going to put in things like new tables,” Eversole said. “That’s a necessity.”

The Gamers’ Society members are the most frequent users of the Game Room and want to prevent further closings.

“Just showing up to that meeting, they really care,” said Edwards. “I think they’ll be responsible and help make the best of the Game Room.”