A discussion of problems linked with off-campus student parties brought NIU administrators, members of the Student Association and city of DeKalb officials together Thursday.

DeKalb City Manager Mark Stevens said the meeting was a response to the growing number of noise and litter complaints in both the Greek Row and College Ave./John Street areas of DeKalb. He said last fall was “the worst period for complaints we have had.”

Stevens said a growing number of the calls which the city receives are students complaining about other students, “not the, quote-unquote, full-time residents.”

Thursday’s meeting was one of a series between city and NIU officials and the SA, Stevens said. The meeting included Stevens, City Attorney Jerry Shapiro, 1st Ward Alderman Ron Matekaitis and Jon Dalton, NIU’s vice president for student affairs. Also present were Jim Fischer, SA president; Carey Ward, SA tenant union adviser; Karen Seymour, SA speaker; and SA Senator Dan Clayton.

Stevens said three ways to curb the litter and noise problems associated with large off-campus parties have been discussed. All three involve cooperation between the city and NIU, he said.

The first is an information program which would educate students looking for off-campus housing about such things as towing and parking restrictions. The program could be part of Ward’s proposed “housing bazaar.” The second program would involve an annual meeting with Greek Row fraternities and sororities to inform them of city noise and litter ordinances.

The third program, which was discussed at the last SA meeting, is a student “party patrol.” The patrol, which is based on a program used at Illinois State University in Normal, would send student patrols as the first response to loud party complaints. The students would warn the partiers a complaint had been made and that police would be the next guests if the party didn’t quiet down. Stevens said the program at ISU, which is SA and city funded, is about 90 percent effective.

Fischer said the SA is “seriously looking at implementing something that can help improve relations between the students and other residents.”

Beyond the three proposals, Stevens said he has considered using a little-known clause in the city rooming house ordinance which would allow him to hold a hearing on houses which have consistently been the subject of complaints. The clause would allow him to revoke the license of a boarding house, forcing all but three residents of the house to move out, he said.