The class of 2008 still awaits information on future senior class events after disorderly conduct at October’s Senior Cocktails event caused the bus company to cancel its contract with the University.

Unable to find another transportation company, senior class officers were forced to call off the second Cocktails event, originally scheduled for last December.

Initially, senior class officers had hoped to readjust the cost of the $190 pass given the cancellation of December’s event, but increased transportation costs for the remaining two events may make a refund impossible.

“Now the buses are almost four times more expensive either way we go,” said class president Rashida Richardson ’08, who with her committee must choose whether to hire security for every school bus or charter coach buses, expenses not included in the original budget.

The officers will meet with the Student Budgetary Committee (SBC) to discuss additional funding.

“The money the students pay barely covers the cost of the events,” Richardson explained. “Most of [the event] money comes from the SBC. Based upon how generous they are is how we’ll decide what we can do. We need to meet with them to figure out the exact price of the passes and how much we can give back.”

Jeff Wong ’08 questioned how the funding might add up.

“If they’re not going to give us a refund, the new events better be good, since we’re technically paying for three events and only attending two,” he said.

According to Richardson, the next event is tentatively planned for Saturday, March 1. It will combine cocktails and dancing and will begin early in the evening. Richardson declined to explain how large a role alcohol would play in the night’s program.

The second event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 26 and will offer a choice of activities. As of now, May’s Senior Week events will be similar to those held in the past.

Richardson could not reveal any details about the venues.

“We’re trying to have somewhat nice venues since people didn’t like what we had the first time,” she said.

The senior class officers had hoped to send out an explanatory e-mail prior to winter break with details about the revised schedule of events, but have yet to do so.

“When we send the e-mail we want to be able to say, ’Here’s how much the pass is going to cost,’ and that’s sort of the hold up,” said Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development Tim Shiner, who works with the officers. “There are just a few details that have to be resolved. We hope [to send it] no later than next week.”

“[Winter break] made it complicated to get things done in the way we wanted to do them,” Richardson said.

Some students felt they should be kept better informed of the officers’ decision-making process.

“I understand that the class officers must be dealing with a lot and trying to figure everything out, but I think it would be nice for the seniors to at least be updated on their progress and what they’re doing, even if they don’t have any final plans,” said Emma Rosenberg ’08.

Shiner noted that students will be able to opt out of their passes entirely if the upcoming events don’t appeal to them when they are announced.

“There will be an opt-out option, so if students don’t want to pay the amount for less events or for the changed nature of the events, they can opt out and only pay for the first event,” he said.

At October’s Halloween-themed Cocktails, an unidentified student physically assaulted the director of the bus company, who was trying to guide students boarding the buses. Another bus driver was injured after tripping on an alcohol bottle that was left on the bus, putting the driver out of work for two weeks.

One week after the event, seniors received an e-mail from the class officers informing them that the December Cocktails would be cancelled.

“No matter how inebriated anyone was that night, this behavior is inexcusable, and has made hosting the next event impossible and impractical,” the e-mail read. “We hope that you will reflect on your individual actions and the lack of responsibility of the class as a whole.”

Senior class officers cited a labor shortage in the bus industry for their inability to find another transportation provider for a December event.