Penn State Altoona is up to 57 student arrests thus far in the semester, up from only 3 arrests at this point last year at Altoona, according to the Collegian. Many of those arrests have been recorded as alcohol-related incidents. Why?

Over the summer and thus far in the semester, residents of Logan Township, especially those living within the proximity of Penn State Altoona, have filled township meetings and hammered away in complaint of student conduct. These residents have reported (as if it’d been forgotten) the loud parties and littering occurring off campus.

Acting as if they’d forgotten that students have parties and make noise, the Logan Township police have harshly responded to these complaints, as can be noted by the spike in arrests this year. The police, with university support, have really cracked down on drinking, increasing their scrutiny on campus, in an apparent attempt to teach students a lesson.

Possibly the most disturbing of information regarding arrests at Penn State Altoona is the way that student Eric Sales described the arrests.

The Collegian reported,

Sales said the police are going to every single apartment, looking to bust students. To him, it seems like the police force’s presence on and off campus has grown since last year.

A similar story arose at Penn State Mont Alto, where resident complaints of normal student activity have caused increased security.

Whether the increased number of resident complaints and student arrests over the last year is connected to Penn State’s current number one party school ranking is merely speculation. The arrests themselves, however, cannot be ignored.

Thoughts?