According to an email sent to the senior class by Senior Class Officers (SCOs) and administrators of the Office of Student Activities, Senior Events on May 21 and May 23 will take place as originally scheduled, but alcohol will not be served. Previously, SCOs and administrators had announced that the University would reassess future events for the Class of 2013 following reports that seniors were excessively rowdy and had caused expensive damages at a Senior Event at the Connecticut Science Center on Feb. 15.
“We are excited that our class will still have these opportunities to bond as a whole in an off-campus setting, and we look forward to planning them so that they are successful and enjoyable for all,” stated the email.
The email also explained the reasoning behind making these events, an outing day and a semi-formal dance during senior week, dry events.
“After our last event it became clear that due to the unanticipated costs the senior class incurred and the requirements of the bus companies and venues with whom we contract, that the only way we could move forward was if we could insure those businesses that we would not experience similar problems during senior week,” wrote the SCOs and administrators. “However, we are confident that the absence of alcohol will not distract our class from having an excellent time socializing, dining, and dancing with each other.”
The decision to resume senior events will not necessarily apply to future classes; only the remaining events for this academic year will unquestionably resume, and resume sans alcohol. The status of senior events for future classes is as of yet unknown.
Jenn Pollan ’13 said she thinks that seniors would have gathered even if senior events had been permanently cancelled and that the dry events will likely encourage drinking as a backlash to the absence of alcohol.
“I think that on the one hand it’s not going to reduce drinking, the fact that it’s dry; it’s going to make it worse,” Pollan said, “and I think that, regardless of whether these formal events are held, there are going to be a lot of [informal] events with people at them.”
Samantha Jacobson ’13 explained that her reaction to hearing that senior events would occur as anticipated was generally positive.
“I was really excited to hear that they were back on,” Jacobson said. “While what happened with the Senior Cocks was controversial and our class as a collective should feel blame about what happened…it was a combination [of faults], of course; if you put 500 or 600 students in a science museum, you’re taking a risk. I was really thrilled to hear that we [are] still able to participate in this event.”