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10-17-97

Contact:
John McCarroll, University Relations, (515) 294-6136

MEDIA ADVISORY: ISU'S JISCHKE TO ANNOUNCE VEISHEA'S FUTURE AT OCT. 22 PRESS CONFERENCE

AMES, Iowa -- The future of Iowa State University's annual Veishea celebration will be announced by ISU President Martin Jischke at a 3 p.m. press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union.

Veishea began in 1922 and is considered the largest student- run festival in the nation. Since 1987, several Veishea celebrations have been marred by rioting, and last spring, 19-year-old Harold "Uri" Sellers was fatally stabbed outside a fraternity house during Veishea weekend. As a result of these incidents, Veishea has been under intense scrutiny and review by the ISU administration, who attribute a large part of the problem with Veishea to abuse of alcohol, particularly by underage persons.

In the aftermath of the murder, Jischke announced in August that Veishea would only continue if he received sincere pledges for a safe and alcohol-free celebration from the Government of the Student Body, the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, the Inter-Residence Hall Association and the Veishea Executive Board, which is the student group that plans the annual celebration.

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Revised 10/17/97