Wesleyan to Discipline Students Kicked Out of CT Science Center

Some of the 500 Wesleyan Class of 2013 students who took part in the Feb. 15 senior party at the Connecticut Science Center will be disciplined for reported unacceptable behavior, according to a statement by the Middletown university.

"Over the weekend, Wesleyan's Class of 2013 held an event for its members at the Connecticut Science Center. The event was funded by the members of the senior class, and was planned by the senior class officers with support from staff in our Student Activities Office," reads a statement issued this week by Lauren Rubenstein of Wesleyan Media Relations.

"University staff assisted at the event, which was terminated early because of unacceptable behavior by some of the students who attended. We are deeply disappointed by the problematic behavior and apologize to the staff at the Connecticut Science Center."

Tracy Shirer, director of marketing & public relations at the Science Center, said contrary to some media reports, the Science Center did not file an incident report. "There was no police involvement … once the decision was made to end the event early, the guests cooperated and left."

Meanwhile, Wesleyan has announced it will take disciplinary action.

"The university will discipline students identified as having been engaged in inappropriate behavior, and the administration is working with senior class officers to reevaluate plans for future events in light of this incident," Rubenstein's statement continued.

The event has caused ripples of interest across the country.

"Despite reports on the Wesleyan senior cocktail scandal across the Internet from the Daily Beast to the Atlantic Wire, and the appearance of a local news team on campus, students seem unmoved by their own regrettable actions," the International Science Times has reported in a story written by 2011 Wesleyan graduate Jacob Kleinman. 

The Daily Beast post concludes with, "Parents, your money, once again, is well spent."

According to a report by WTNH, students were reportedly seen doing drugs and having sex in bathrooms. At least one senior allegedly climbed a dinosaur exhibit and witnesses described someone vomiting down a flight of stairs at the Science Center in Hartford.

An individual who goes by the Twitter handle of The Dogtooth Tweeted several reports during the party, including, "Did we really rent a theater/science center to drink in? I'm beyond astounded by privilege," and later, "Already apologized to two people working here for how entitled we are. Someone please shut me up."

The records division of the Hartford Police Department showed no incident reports that evening.

• Wesleyan Students Kicked Out of Science Center

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