Friday, August 18, 2006

Wilmington, N.C. - The University of North Carolina Wilmington Beach Blast 2006 will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at Crystal Pier at Wrightsville Beach. Free music and food, kayaking, surfing and bocce ball are some of the planned activities for UNCW students.

UNCW will be running shuttles to and from the beach and is encouraging on- and off-campus students to utilize this transportation.

Fencing will clearly identify the perimeters where Beach Blast activity is to occur. Students will be required to present a UNCW student ID card to board shuttles and receive a wristband, which will be required to participate in any of the activities or vendor giveaways at Beach Blast.

UNCW has met with Wrightsville Beach representatives in the months preceding this event and is taking action to conduct the activities in accordance with beach ordinances and university standards. In addition to 30 dedicated UNCW staff members and key student leaders, the university has hired three members of the Wrightsville Beach Police and eight Event One security personnel to staff the event. Beach Blast is an alcohol-free event, and the UNCW Student Body president and campus officials have notified all students that alcohol is not permitted.

UNCW students' coolers will be checked for alcohol before loading shuttles and before entering Beach Blast. Any student found with alcohol must dispose of it or he or she will not receive a wristband nor be granted admittance. Police will forward conduct citations to the UNCW Office of the Dean of Students for appropriate judicial action determined by university administrators.

Michael Walker, UNCW Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students states, "We will outline in written correspondence from the UNCW administration and the Student Government Association president, our behavioral expectations for student comportment at the event. Students who violate the law and/or UNCW policy will be documented and their conduct may be actionable within the campus judicial system, in addition to any action Wrightsville Police deems as appropriate."

The general public will be granted access to Beach Blast, but will not receive wristbands and cannot get free food and beverages supplied by vendors. Wrightsville Police will monitor these individuals for any violations of the law including consumption of alcohol.

Air staff from Next Media radio stations will be on site. They will not be broadcasting to the public and will be heard only by those at the event.

Wrightsville Beach is providing trash cans for the event. Officials have requested double the number of trash cans from last year. A beach sweep will begin at 5 p.m., staffed by approximately 40 volunteers from UNCW student organizations, staff and community members.

The UNCW office of recycling is coordinating a recycling initiative. Recycling containers will be placed and clearly labeled next to trash carts to be delivered, emptied and picked up by UNCW.

Classes for the fall 2006 semester at UNCW begin Wednesday, Aug. 23. UNCW's total enrollment for fall 2006 is expected to exceed 12,250 students.

Media Contacts: Cindy Lawson, assistant to the chancellor for marketing and communications, 910.962.2059, lawsonc@uncw.edu

Michael Walker, assistant vice chancellor and dean of students, 910.962.3117, walkerm@uncw.edu

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