As a result of inappropriate student behavior at a senior event at the Connecticut Science Center on Feb. 15, future classes will no longer have “senior cocktail” events, and the Senior Week for the class of 2013 may be curtailed. The senior class officers sent an email to the class of 2013 on Monday, Feb. 25 citing excessive drunkenness, harassment of the bartender, and damage to the venue as the reasons for the administration’s decision to reassess future senior events.

“Despite all the care and effort in planning safe events for the senior class, some seniors choose to put themselves, classmates, and others at risk,” the officers wrote. “In light of these issues, we must make the sad announcement that the administration has decided that ‘senior cocktails’ will no longer occur in the way they have existed, neither this year nor in future years.”

Furthermore, the officers announced in their email that in response to the destructive nature of student behavior, the transportation company and some of the planned venues for Senior Week are unwilling to continue negotiating with the University.

“The transportation company we have used for our senior events has refused to work with us, and some of our planned Senior Week venues are reevaluating whether they will still host us,” they wrote.

Additionally, those who purchased passes for the senior events will not be reimbursed until after the University has paid for the damages to the Center, the bus company, and possibly the DJ’s equipment.

Although many students have criticized the senior class officers’ decision to hold the senior event at the Connecticut Science Center—a venue unlike the clubs sometimes chosen in the past—the officers defended their choice of venue.

“We genuinely feel this decision was not the result of complete naiveté on our part, but rather a legitimate act of trust in our class to act responsibly and respectfully,” the officers wrote. “As a class we were unable to do this.”

The officers expressed disappointment with the behavior of the class of 2013 throughout the email and wrote that they will continue to update students on the status of Senior Week.

“We will be in touch with you again when we have a better sense of what, if anything, is possible in terms of Senior Week events,” they wrote.

Lisa Lee ’13 said that she did not expect the administration’s decision to affect senior events for future classes.

“The only thing I’m surprised about is that they’re cancelling senior cocktails for classes graduating after 2013,” Lee said. “I understand why they’re cancelling senior cocks for our class, but I was shocked that they’re cancelling them in general. I don’t remember [the last senior event] being that destructive the way that the news reported it, but I obviously didn’t witness everything.”

Rehan Mehta ’14 noted that students may organize their own senior events without the help of the University or student class officers.

“I think that if they don’t organize senior cocks, we will,” he said. “Students can organize it themselves.”

Ismet Jooma ’14 said that he disagrees with the decision of the administration.

“I don’t agree that because of the actions of a few individuals, everyone should be punished,” Jooma said. “I think it’s completely unfair.”

Additional reporting by News Editor Christina Norris.