More than 50 UD students referred to disciplinary action after St. Patrick’s Day parties

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Credit: Marshall Gorby

The University of Dayton said 52 students have been referred for disciplinary action related to large-scale gatherings on St. Patrick’s Day and last Saturday, March 20.

The officials said the incidents occurred on or near UD property, including residence halls, individual houses and other locations, as well as during a large-scale gathering in the student neighborhood on March 20.

“We continue to investigate and are referring students to the student disciplinary system as appropriate. The university’s COVID-19 safety protocols and expectations continue to remain in place,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said one person, who was not a student, was arrested on that day for attempting to steal a grill from the back porch of a student residence.

On Saturday, a large amount of students gathered in UD neighborhoods to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. After the party, officials said the university would increase testing for COVID-19 to help isolate anyone who might have been infected.

“While the gathering in the student neighborhood may have been peaceful, students still violated university expectations and COVID-19 safety protocols,” University of Dayton officials said in a statement. “Where appropriate, we will be holding them accountable through our disciplinary process. We will also increase testing of students to identify and isolate individuals who have contracted the virus to help reduce the chance they will spread it to others.”

According to the UD COVID-19 protocol, students attending the university cannot gather in crowds of more than 10 and agreed not to gather in crowded places, such as bars and restaurants.

A statement from the university from earlier this week said that students who did not follow the university’s COVID-19 student agreement face disciplinary action, resulting in consequences such as removal from campus for remote study, suspension or expulsion. Due to the pandemic, disciplinary action will be much quicker and more severe, the statement said.

UD reports eight active COVID-19 cases on its campus on its COVID-19 dashboard.

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