The four-hour tailgating restriction at football games will remain the same for the Florida State game Thursday night and the Wake Forest game Oct. 14, despite a student rally protesting the restriction planned for this afternoon.

Representatives from Student Government, the administration and Campus Police met Monday afternoon to discuss the restrictions, and more specifically, the rally scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Bell Tower.

“It doesn’t make any sense to extend tailgate hours two days before a game — that is completely out of the question,” Tom Stafford, vice chancellor for student affairs and the person who scheduled the meeting, said. “At the Wake Forest game tailgating is not an issue.”

He also indicated that tailgate time restrictions don’t matter before the Wake Forest game because the lot isn’t available any earlier than normal due to the State Fair.

Zach Adams, Student Senate president, and Adam Compton, student body treasurer, were on the forefront of the tailgating discussion, pushing for a time extension of at least one hour.

Compton said that the ultimate goal of Student Government and the rally is to “see two hours added to tailgating.”

Will Quick, student body president, who was also present at the meeting, said Student Government also has a secondary goal.

“We are still looking for an extension on tailgating,” he said. “The sub-goal is the possibility of more gates opening up.”

He did say, however, that “the main feeling on campus is the new ticket system is going to cut off a lot of time on the backend of the four hours we have to get to the game.”

During the meeting, Stafford asked Adams and Compton about the reasoning for the rally. Adams explained that the rally is to show student support of extending tailgate hours.

“We just want to see if we can get a large group of students to kind of reflect what we would bring to the Administration,” he said. “It seems to me that it would mean a lot more to [Stafford] and Oblinger to see 200 or 300 students taking time out of their schedule to stand up for that.”

Stafford, however, confirmed that Chancellor James L. Oblinger is out of town and won’t be present at the rally. He did say that he is prepared to speak at the rally and will have a statement from the Chancellor.

Throughout the meeting, Quick, Compton and Adams stated numerous concerns they have with the new ticketing policy, how tailgating will be affected and how extended tailgate hours could solve some of their concerns.

“People feel like they have to line up two to two-and-a-half hours early to get a good seat,” Quick said. “They will sit in line with a six pack — not have time to eat and that type of stuff.”

Compton also expressed his concern for students waiting in line for long hours.

“It is more of a safety hazard to have 1,000 students waiting around drinking,” he said.

Stafford said the plan for Thursday night’s game was agreed on by a group that met last week to discuss student ticketing issues, which included Quick, Compton and Adams.

“We came up with a plan that everybody agreed on,” he said. “So now you are telling us that because of this plan that we all agreed on that we have to make another change.”

David Rainer, associate vice chancellor of environmental health and public safety, noted a historical expectation of all spectators.

“We expect everybody is going to behave responsibly and there won’t be any problems in the line,” he said. “We have always gone by that assumption.”

The tone of the meeting changed when Stafford indicated that Student Government must have a permit to stage a rally at the Bell Tower, according to the Solicitation, Assemblies and Public Addresses Regulation of University policy.

“Events at the Bell Tower now need my approval and the things I look to approve are in the official University category,” he said.

He also added that the Brickyard is the proper venue for rallies of this nature.

Adams and Stafford engaged in a discussion, intense at times, regarding the short-term planning of the rally and the advertisement of a rally at the Bell Tower before receiving permission. Stafford explained that there is a certain procedure student groups must go through to hold this sort of rally — a procedure Student Government didn’t use.

“If I come in now and approve this, what do you think is going to happen the next time and next time?” he said.

In the end, following Adam’s explanation of why procedures were not followed — he pointed to time constraints — Stafford said he will allow organizers to stage the rally at the Bell Tower.

“I will approve this rally at this location, but if a request like this comes up again, you know the answer,” he said to Adams.

The scheduled rally is in reaction to the new ticket policy that athletics will put into effect Thursday that awards the best sections to students on a first-come, first-served basis. Since the gates open 90 minutes before the game, student leaders say they’re worried the new system will further deplete tailgating time.

Stafford, however, indicated he wants to change spectators’ intentions on game days. He said football games shouldn’t be viewed as “an event to get trashed and vomit all over people in the stadium.” He also added that spectators should show good sportsmanship.

“You behave in such a way that you don’t embarrass or create a negative point for N.C. State,” he said. “Cheer hard for our team — don’t say inappropriate things about other teams.”

Stafford also said that the ticket policy changes are due to the actions of a few.

“I do regret that a few people who get out of control and cause problems result in people who don’t misbehave being penalized. I regret that, but that is how it works,” he said. “Unfortunately, the minority behavior affects the rules established.”

Stafford explained, however, that he isn’t opposed to the rally.

“The rally is a really great idea,” he said. “I want to see it happen — I just don’t think the Bell Tower is the right place to do it.”

He did indicate, however, that tailgate time restriction changes are unlikely this season.

“The Chancellor indicated he is willing to have further discussions, especially after he sees how this season goes,” Stafford said. “I don’t know if he will make anymore changes during the season.”