A group of about 20 Boston University students could face suspension after being caught holding an outdoor party on campus over the weekend.
According to the university's website, disciplinary hearings will begin Tuesday for the students, who were caught by campus police holding a "beer party" in an area of West Campus known as "the grotto" in violation of the school's COVID-19 safety guidelines. All of the students were under 21.
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“There were 25-plus people with alcohol, close together, with no masks or their masks pulled down around their chin,” said Kenneth Elmore, associate provost and dean of students. He called the incident “highly problematic.”
Students who were at the party could result in semester-long suspensions, the university said.
Parties on college campuses in violation of COVID guidelines have been a common theme as students have returned to campus this fall. Numerous schools across the region have reported similar gatherings, some of which have resulted in suspensions.
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Massachusetts officials have cited the return of college students as one of the key factors contributing to a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the state.
