11 at Rice party treated for binge drinking

Eleven Rice University students who attended the annual student-organized "Night of Decadence" were treated for alcohol poisoning early Sunday morning.

More than 1,200 people attended the event that includes alcohol served to those of legal drinking age and was approved by the university under its policies. The party is hosted by Wiess College dormitory and has been a tradition since 1972.

The 11 were transported to an area hospital and all of them were released after a few hours.

"That's actually quite high compared to previous years," said John Hutchinson, Rice's dean of undergraduates said. "Normally there's just a handful, only three or four."

Hutchinson said a university official will meet with each one to determine if the cases were isolated and to determine if a treatment program should be recommended or required for each.

Wiess, like each Rice college or dorm, gets an annual recreation budget for events like NOD, according to B.J. Almond, Rice University spokesman.

"They can spend it however they want," Almond said.

Hutchinson said he will remind student presidents of the residence halls on Monday about available alcohol treatment programs and discuss the event during their weekly meeting.

"Alcohol abuse is a serious problem on college campuses across the country, and Rice has been extremely active in educating students about the dangers of abusing alcohol," Almond said in a statement issued Sunday. "We will continue our efforts to protect the health and safety of our students."

Cited in Playboy

In the 1970s, Playboy magazine listed the Rice annual Halloween celebration as one of the top 10 college parties in America. In 1999, Rice faculty members complained about NOD's explicitly dangerous and sexual atmosphere.

In response to the complaints, Rice's Student Association examined concerns and decided to let it continue. However, overtly sexual decorations were removed and better enforcement of alcohol consumption policies were recommended.

Any university event has to have a safety plan, Hutchinson and Almond said.

Those plans included the presence of 23 workers from Rice's EMS team and 150 student volunteers working security.

jayme.frasher@chron.com