Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include an email statement sent to first-years by Associate Provost and Dean of Students Mark Bandas and Assistant Provost and Deputy Dean of Students G.L. Black.

A large number of students were reportedly seen convening for a gathering at the Lower Quad of the Martha Rivers Ingram Commons on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 29., breaking the university’s COVID-19 guidelines.

The Hustler received a statement today from a Vanderbilt spokesperson in response to reports regarding this gathering. The statement said the university initially found that students were following university protocols but later received reports claiming that protocols weren’t being followed at other points in the night. The full statement can be found at the end of this article.

“In response to this weekend’s activity, VUPS personnel will be posted at the Commons and additional areas where students commonly congregate during the evening and nighttime hours for the next several weeks, or for as long as deemed necessary,” the statement reads.

According to multiple first-year witnesses, the gathering began at around 9 p.m. CDT and ended around 1 a.m. CDT. Reports estimate that between 50 to 200 were present at any given point.

“When I walked by at around 9:15 last night, the lawn was packed,” first-year Diya Sharma said in an email to The Hustler. “I’d say there were a good 150-200 people out, maybe more. I’m not 100% sure when it all started, but it died down around 1:30 a.m. [CDT]. While the majority of people had masks on, not everyone did.”

First-year Sydney Braunstein said that despite her reports to VUPD about the gathering which was in clear violation of the COVID-19 campus safety policies, nothing was done to disperse the students.

“I reported the gathering over the multiple platforms that Vanderbilt has provided us with starting the second I heard about it, and nothing was done,” Braunstein said. “Normally it’s more like 30 people outside of Hank House. But it’s a consistent and daily occurrence.”

First-year Noah Hudson-Camack also commented on the inefficacy of the VUPD after they had arrived in ensuring that the gathering had disbanded. According to Hudson-Camack, when officers initially arrived sometime after 10:40 p.m. CDT, the crowd dispersed.

“I can’t say for sure if this is because VUPD actually corralled students out of the area in front of Stam and Hank, or if the students were simply afraid of consequences resulting from being out,” Hudson-Camack said in an email to The Hustler. “This moved the activity elsewhere for a little (mostly out in front of Memorial), but at some time I am unaware of they moved back to their previous location on the Stam/Hank lawn.”

Hudson-Camack said he passed by the gathering again at around 12:30 a.m. CDT and saw VUPD officers present. In spite of this, he said that little to nothing was done to stop the students from disregarding distancing and mask guidelines.

“I went as far as to walk up to an officer and ask what they were doing, and they simply responded that they were, ‘making sure students were following the guidelines.’ I can say with utter certainty that the VUPD was as useless as the reports say,” Hudson-Camack said.

Students said that despite the size of the crowd, the gathering was largely spontaneous and no prior planning or announcements were made.

“I personally did not hear about this gathering beforehand,” Hudson-Camack said. “There is an unsaid expectation that there will be a large gathering on the Stam/Hank lawn every night though. All of us living on Commons know it; there’s no need for it to be said aloud. People were certainly looking forward to it.”

Per Sharma, there have been similar instances of large gatherings without regard to social distancing and mask protocol on Commons, but none as big as last night’s. 

“Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised if something like last night happens again in the future,” Sharma said.

Braunstein voiced her discontent with those who attended the gathering and urged that her peers take the campus safety precautions more seriously.

“It is really upsetting to see people who clearly don’t understand the consequences of their actions,” Braunstein said. “What about the people who don’t have stable homes to go back to, whether that be physical or financial? What about the students on campus who are more at risk? I just hope that people take this more seriously.”

Vanderbilt’s Return to Campus policies state that the university will impose significant penalties for violating the university’s Gatherings policy, whether on or off campus, because such gatherings have “potential campus-wide impacts.” Currently, gatherings are limited to ten or fewer people, and all must be physically distanced and masked.

As for disciplinary action, the website states that the minimum sanction applied by Student Accountability if a student is found responsible for hosting a gathering that violates the policy will be suspension for a minimum of one semester. Additionally, a first sanction may be as severe as expulsion, depending on the nature of and circumstances surrounding the violation. Attending, participating in, otherwise supporting and/or concealing a gathering that violates the policy may also result in suspension or expulsion for a first offense, per the website. Students living on campus who are suspended or expelled for violating COVID-19 policies and protocols will be required to vacate the residence hall, and the university will not issue refunds for tuition, housing costs or fees.

 The full statement from the university spokesperson is below:

Vanderbilt University is investigating reports that undergraduate students violated its COVID-19 protocols during a gathering Saturday evening at The Ingram Commons. Vanderbilt University Public Safety was contacted about the gathering on Saturday and initially found that students gathered were following proper face covering and social distancing protocols, but the university has received reports that its protocols were not being followed by students in this area at other times during the night.

Student violations of the university’s COVID-19 policies and protocols are addressed through the Office of Student Accountability and will result in sanctions, up to and including, probation, suspension and expulsion.

In response to this weekend’s activity, VUPS personnel will be posted at the Commons and additional areas where students commonly congregate during the evening and nighttime hours for the next several weeks, or for as long as deemed necessary.

We strongly encourage anyone with information about violations of our COVID-19 protocols to report it by calling our Public Health Hotline at 615-343-1352.

At 9 p.m. CDT on Sunday, first-years were also sent the following email statement:

Dear Vanderbilt first-year students, 

Vanderbilt University is investigating reports that a number of undergraduate students violated its COVID-19 protocols during a gathering Saturday evening at The Ingram Commons. 

This is unacceptable and undermines our efforts to keep our campus as healthy and safe as possible, and to stop the spread of COVID-19. Those who initiated the gathering or are found to have violated the university’s COVID-19 protocols while participating in the gathering will face disciplinary consequences. 

While we want you to enjoy the lawns and outdoor space that are the privileges of living on campus and at the Commons, it is critically important that we do this with our own health and safety, and that of others, in mind. 

Gatherings must be 10 individuals or less, with all masked all the time, and all physically distanced all the time. This is true indoors or outdoors. Multiple groups in the same area should maintain a physical distance of well over six feet between groups so as not to unintentionally create a prohibited gathering – or the perception of one. 

Because of the importance of following Vanderbilt’s COVID-19 policies and protocols, we want to remind all of you that the university will impose significant penalties for violating the gatherings policy, whether on or off campus, because such gatherings have potential campus-wide impacts. The minimum sanction applied by Student Accountability if a student is found responsible for hosting a gathering that violates the policy will be suspension for a minimum of one semester; a first sanction may be as severe as expulsion, depending on the nature of and circumstances surrounding the violation. 

Attending, participating in, otherwise supporting, instigating and/or concealing a gathering that violates the policy may also result in suspension or expulsion for a first offense. Students living on campus who are suspended or expelled for violating COVID-19 policies and protocols will be required to vacate the residence hall. The university will not issue refunds for tuition, housing costs, or fees. 

Based on this weekend’s reports, it is clear that increased monitoring of student activity is required. To that end, VUPS personnel will be posted at the Commons and additional areas where students commonly congregate during the evening and nighttime hours for the next several weeks, or for as long as deemed necessary. Certainly, we do not wish to impose such penalties or have to escalate our disciplinary efforts, but if the university’s protocols are not followed, we may be given little choice in the interest of protecting the health and safety of all concerned. We sincerely hope this will be the first and last time we run into this kind of situation. Now more than ever, we need to remain committed, vigilant and work together to ensure we can all have a successful fall semester. 

Sincerely, 

Mark Bandas
Associate Provost and Dean of Students

G.L. Black
Assistant Provost and Deputy Dean of Students