SecureU - Campus Pranks Now Come With Permission Slips

Published: 10/31/07

Campus Pranks Now Come With Permission Slips
From the article of the same title by Tom A. Peter : Christian Science Monitor: New security issues stemming from 9/11, along with cultural shifts, are changing how practical jokes are executed on college campuses. For example, students at MIT reconfigured the elevator system in a campus building to make the elevator car deliver passengers to a random floor. While the prank became a legend, today's society would likely frown at the safety risk of an inoperable elevator. Nevertheless, some universities, like Caltech, MIT, and Harvey Mudd, are known for their elaborate practical jokes. Because pranking is a tradition at such schools, administrators and students are striving to preserve the tradition while also addressing contemporary safety concerns. As a result, students at Caltech and Harvey Mudd must receive administrative authorization before they pull a practical joke. University police officers on campuses also perform a balancing act between enforcing restricted access rules and supporting a celebrated custom. Practical jokes have many positive functions, says Thomas Mannion of Caltech, as they let students display hard-earned technical skills while improving social skills and generating publicity for the school.

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