The University’s alcohol policies may face substantial changes in the wake of an unusually high number of drinking-related incidents at Springfest and at the Foster Mods during Senior Week.

At least 15 distinct individuals were treated or evaluated on the scene at Springest on May 1, with many also being transported to local hospitals for further treatment, according to the media logs supplied to the Justice by University Police. Seven students and five visitors were transported to hospitals due to alcohol-related illnesses, according to a statement issued to the Waltham News Tribune by University News and Communications Specialist Julian Cardillo ’14. All the students treated were treated and released, and, as a result of the unusually high number of alcohol-related incidents, “the university will reassess student participation guidelines and safety measures for future large-scale events,” Cardillo said.

A few weeks later, there was another incident at the Mods that involved intoxicated students hurling rocks, bottles and profanity at BEMCo staff and University Police officers responding to an emergency call. In the early hours of Saturday morning, University Police received a report of an unresponsive intoxicated party in a bathroom at the Foster Mods, and police and BEMCo responded to the scene, according to a media log supplied to the Justice by University Police. The Police requested assistance from the Waltham Police Department due to the hostility of the inebriated crowd, which had become both physically and verbally abusive. The Area Coordinator on call was requested to assist, and the responders were eventually able to transport the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

In response to Springfest and the Mods incident, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel announced via email to the student body on Saturday that he would be forming a task force to “review our Brandeis alcohol, drug, and party registration policies. This will include reviews of Springfest and Senior Week, and the degree to which they will need to be changed moving forward.”

“Clearly, the actions of a few don't reflect all of our students. However, I am shocked and saddened that any members of or visitors to our community would take these actions, and worse that evidently so many members of our Brandeis family allowed such behavior to happen right in front of them,” Flagel wrote in his email to the student body, also noting that no parties would be permitted or registered on campus the following night. He added that the police would be reviewing closed-circuit footage of the event in an attempt to seek out and prosecute the individuals responsible. “If anyone in our community has any information that would lead to identifying these individuals, I urge you to contact campus police. If you were among the perpetrators, I recommend that you turn yourself in to campus police,” he wrote.

In an email to the Justice, Flagel declined to comment on the investigation, as it is ongoing, but noted that the University is working closely with the Waltham Police Department.

A May 11 email to the student body with the subject line “The email you are expecting” followed, cosigned by Dean of Students Jamele Adams, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan, Flagel, Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray and Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Sheryl Sousa ’90. “Please be aware that in response to recent safety concerns, both campus and Waltham police are increasing patrols, and that all aspects of our student code of conduct remain in effect,” the email cautioned. “Alleged violations of that code can still result in restrictions, including being excluded from Commencement and even suspension of the awarding of your degree. Illegal behavior may result in prosecution.”

The email forbade underage drinking and told students over 21 not to bring hard liquor to University events or supply alcohol to minors. Additionally, the email cautioned against drinking to the point of “high levels of intoxication.”

The University previously suspended parties in the Mods for a two-week period after an unusually high number of alcohol-related incidents over Labor Day Weekend in 2015, according to a Sept. 22 Justice article. “We have to keep a good relationship with Waltham. We really respect the community and the partners that we work with, with Waltham Fire, Police and EMS Responders from Cataldo. If we are abusing those services by inundating them with students, then we’ve really got to take another look at what we’re doing on campus to help better our relationships and encourage our students to make better decisions,” Director of Community Living Timothy Touchette said in an interview with the Justice at the time.

Now, as Flagel’s task force comes together in the fall, administrators will once more consider the University’s alcohol policies. “I look forward to the task force examining best national practices,” Flagel wrote in his email to the Justice, adding that task force membership will be made collaboratively with the community and that the task force will include student representation. “I do not want to anticipate that discussion, but I imagine that the prevalence of parties in the residence halls in and around those events needs to be carefully examined.”

Adams did not return requests for comment as of press time.