Penn Announces 2-Month Closure of Spruce Street for Daily School-Sponsored Darties Following Student Concerns Over St. Patrick's Day Regulations

In the past week, the University of Pennsylvania has imposed a series of restrictions and penalties on social gatherings and events organized by on- and off-campus social organizations, as mandated by the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL). OFSL and the University’s administration introduced these sanctions following the implementation of the University-wide Action Plan to combat Patty’s darties. 

The Plan includes three main pillars: safety & security, engagement, and education. 

Following these core pillars, the university is working to educate the community on the dangers of Patty’s darties (having too much fun), engaging members from all corners of the campus (forced bonding), and keeping the students safe (sober and bored).

The outcry from the student body over the cancellation of these events has led to the University offering alternative plans for the holiday week. Starting Monday, March 18 (Weekends are for studying! Prepare for classes!), the school will shut two blocks of Spruce Street to car traffic, leaving the street free to host a Daily Afternoon Carnival®. The Carnival® will feature coloring stations, monkey bars, and hourly matchbox car races with a generous $2 prize for the winner!