UConn investigating report of large, mask-free party

MANSFIELD — University of Connecticut is investigating whether students attended a large gathering near the Storrs campus Saturday that state police said involved 150 to 200 people not following COVID-19 restrictions.

The university said on Monday it received information from state police, including names of individuals issued infractions, about the gathering that violated statemandated restrictions. Stephanie Reitz, a spokesperson for UConn, said if any at the gathering are confirmed to be students, the university will handle the incident through its student conduct process.

“The university has become aware at various times of offcampus gatherings during COVID and has acted accordingly when it has received enough specific information to verify the referrals, such as the identity of students along with specific dates, times and locations,” Reitz said.

She said since conduct records are protected by federal student privacy laws, details of the reviews are not released, including any disciplinary outcomes. She said the privacy might lead some to think “nothing has been done, when in fact UConn acts promptly on referrals with information it can review and confirm.”

Reitz said many referrals submitted to UConn have not included enough detailed information for the university to pursue the student conduct process.

This recent incident happened late Saturday night at a home about a mile from the Storr’s campus.

State troopers were sent to a home in the 100 block of Brich Road in Mansfield around 11:30 p.m. Saturday for a complaint of a “large, loud party.” Troopers found a party of about 150 to 200 students that were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing, state police said.

Current state restrictions cap private gatherings in homes at 10 people. Three renters at the house who held the gathering were issued tickets for violating the governor's executive order prohibiting gatherings of that size, state police said.