Prank Primer
This document has existed for many years as a guideline for pranks.
It is acceptable and encouraged for students to execute creative, nondestructive pranks in accordance with the Honor Code, and the following are guidelines to help these pranks be as successful as possible:
It has always been the case and will continue to be so that whenever any prank is pulled, those responsible must leave a note identifying themselves. Please make sure that this note is prominent, legible, and permanent (i.e. it will not blow away in the wind or get washed away).
To help insure that everyone on campus can carry out their jobs to the best of their ability, including housing, grounds, and security, and to avoid miscommunications which can be injurious to numerous parties, prior to a prank taking place please inform either a house president, the IHC chair, or Tom Mannion of the nature (details may not be necessary, just the general idea), location, and time of your prank. If you speak with a house president or the IHC chair, they will pass the information on to Tom, who will notify security and grounds and any other necessary groups to insure that your prank will not be cleaned up before people have a chance to enjoy it, and there will not be a conflict with other activities or groups on campus. It is most useful if you give the house presidents and/or Tom as much lead time as possible—spontaneous pranks are understandable, but nonetheless please contact someone!
For on-campus pranks, if you choose to not inform a member of the IHC or Tom Mannion (as the contact person for Student Affairs) of your prank, you accept the possibility that it may be cleaned up or dismantled immediately.
There are some items on campus that are designated by the houses as “non-RFable”—these items may not be pranked by anyone under any circumstances. This was established by previous IHC’s, and the official resolution can be read in the IHC Resolutions. The resolution includes more details on these items. Non-RFable items are:
- Blacker dining hall tapestry
- Fleming House Bell
- Fleming Cannon
- Wall-sized Fleming flag
- Lloyd House Portrait
- Page House Portrait
- Page House Nixon Poster
For any off-campus prank, because of the responsibilities of the Institute you must inform either a house president, the IHC chair, or Tom Mannion (if you notify a student, they will notify Tom so that the appropriate people can be notified and proper preparations made).
For further information on expectations of pranks as they relate to the upholding of the Honor Code, please see the Honor Code Handbook, Section VII Practical Jokes and Pranks, available online and in the Little t.
If you have any questions or comments about the prank primer, please feel free to contact the IHC at ude.hcetlac.scgu@chi.