In September 2005, as part of the Safer California Universities study and newly formed Safe Party Initiative, a Safe Party website was created. This year, the website has been revamped and optimized for iOS and Android, allowing students easier access to the website on their phones.
“‘Party throwers’ and ‘party goers’ can find out how to keep the party going, help a friend in an emergency and make it home after a night out,” said Mandy Li, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD) Risk Reduction Coordinator. “Students can call Tipsy Taxi, local taxi cab companies and Unitrans with one-touch dialing on mobile devices.”
After meeting with various focus groups, the designers of the website determined it to be outdated. The team in charge of the website included Li, several ATOD Student Assistants and Adam Napolitan, Student Health and Counseling Services Communications Director.
“Really, this is embracing the mobile web experience and allowing the site to be agile and adjust for the user’s browsing needs,” said Napolitan, who served as the lead programmer on the project. The website incorporates a number of new web design trends, including HTML5, CSS3 and optimization for touch screens.
An extensive advertising campaign is planned for the website, including using screens in the Memorial Union (MU) and housing areas and handing out fliers to apartment complexes to share with their tenants.
“We’re looking at a very broad advertising plan,” Li said.
Safe Party Initiative Partners will be present at Picnic Day to spread information.
“The Safe Party Initiative Partners and Picnic Day organizers will be delivering Safe Party packs with information to promote responsibility at parties,” said Sarah Hellesen, ATOD Student Assistant. “The latest message to students and community members this year is to keep their events in their home or backyard … to avoid unwanted guests from joining the event.”
For more information on Safe Party tips, visit safeparty.ucdavis.edu.
ROHIT RAVIKUMAR can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
