UCLA officials, security should enforce stricter alcohol policy to avoid alcohol-related incidents, violence at annual Bruin Bash concert

This past summer, Rutgers University in my home state of New Jersey decided to cancel its annual concert festival, and I fear Bruin Bash may face the same fate.

Bruin Bash has become a right of passage for new UCLA students; it marks the end of the summer and the beginning of one’s college journey. But, lately, Bruin Bash seems to mark the inevitable arrival of paramedics and ambulances on campus. Bruin Bash is an integral part of welcome week and the UCLA experience overall, but there must be measures taken in order to educate students and better ensure their safety.

At last year’s event, there were 18 alcohol-related responses by paramedics; far more than the four to five responses that generally occur every year. Though last year may have been an outlier, there must be preventive measures taken in order to make sure a statistic this high never occurs again.

UCLA and UCPD officials have maintained that Bruin Bash is no more dangerous than an average Thursday night party. However, officials neglect that Bruin Bash is a UCLA-sponsored event. Stating that it is as safe as a Thursday night party means officials are not doing the best they can to promote student safety.

Nearly all of the paramedics that arrived at last year’s Bruin Bash responded to alcohol-related incidents, which begs the question why UCLA officials do not enforce a zero tolerance policy. There should be a thorough bag search conducted at the entrance of the concert and increased security patrolling the bleachers for alcohol.

However, this will not stop all the alcohol consumption ““ many students choose to “pre-game,” or drink before the concert. If students seem too inebriated to function, security must prevent them from attending the concert and either escort them back to their dorms or apartments. Knowing that security will not permit entrance to those who are exceedingly intoxicated will discourage students from binge drinking before the concert.

Though nothing severe enough has occurred to warrant the cancellation of Bruin Bash, it will not take much for the event to spiral out of control like other university concerts. This past April, Rutgersfest, Rutgers University’s version of Bruin Bash, was cancelled after 30 years because of heavy drinking, stabbings and shootings that left many concert attendees injured. Bruin Bash has not experienced this degree of violent incidences, but the rapid increase of medical emergencies last year may foreshadow a more dangerous setting in the future.

The rise in alcohol incidents also adds a tone of irony to the problem. All UCLA students are required to go through a tedious and meticulous alcohol.edu course to understand the effects of drinking. The incidents at Bruin Bash show that the root of the problem may be UCLA throwing these extravagant concerts for an audience that does not comprehend the dangers and consequences of alcohol abuse.

In order to keep Bruin Bash safe, there must be a more rigorous alcohol education system that allows for the students to better understand the actions they may take. UCLA organizers should implement severe reparations for those under the influence of alcohol including, but not limited to disciplinary actions.

At any time, the excitement at Bruin Bash can easily turn into the terror experienced at Rutgersfest. UCLA officials and organizers must do all they can to better educate students and provide stronger security for the event. No one wants to see Bruin Bash cancelled. In order to prevent 18 alcohol-related ambulance calls and to make sure a violent fight never occurs, university officials and event staff must focus on eradicating alcohol violations in order to prevent these problems from snowballing into a catastrophe.

A sober Bash is better than no Bash at all.

Do you think Bruin Bash is becoming too dangerous? Email Viswanathan at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].