Alley bash that drew hundreds prompts bans for some University of Washington students

Brooke Wolford
·2 min read

Hundreds of University of Washington students are banned from going to in-person classes after they attended a party in an alley, breaking COVID-19 protocols, the school says.

The university is prohibiting the students, including many from the Greek community, from going to any in-person classes or other activities, with the exception of taking a coronavirus test, on campus until Feb. 28, according to a news release.

Students who defy the school’s self-isolation order will be subject to campus discipline, which could include suspension, the news release says.

Students can participate in the class if it is offered online, Victor Balta, a spokesperson for the university, told McClatchy News in an email.

The party took place on Feb. 13 in an alley north of the campus in Seattle.

“Social media posts and formal complaints from other students show hundreds of students packed together, without face coverings for extended periods,” the new release says. “We are deeply disappointed that so many UW students would choose to endanger not only themselves and those in our own community, but potentially a much wider circle of people.”

Students are encouraged to notify their professors of their absences, according to Balta.

“We are in a public health emergency and should this kind of flagrant disregard for community standards reoccur, we will consider additional disciplinary measures and a reevaluation of Greek chapters’ relationships with the University of Washington,” the release says.

Besides being told to self-isolate, students were encouraged to get tested five to seven days after the Feb. 13 party.

“Asking students to quarantine and not come to class after exposure to a large, unmasked crowd isn’t punishment, it is a very prudent public health measure,” Balta said.

The school requires everyone on campus to wear masks, including outdoors when social distancing isn’t possible. Students who refuse to follow the face covering guidelines will be sent home, the university’s website says.

The state also prohibits indoor gatherings that exceed five people who don’t live in the same household, according to Washington’s website.

COVID cases on campus

The school has reported at least 47 post-winter break COVID-19 cases among Greek students, according to the release. A case of the new, more contagious strain that was first reported in the United Kingdom was detected in one student on the Seattle campus Feb. 10, McClatchy News previously reported.

New and more contagious COVID strain found at University of Washington, school says

The student’s positive result came from a late-January test sample. Health experts are recommending that people take extra precautions to avoid spreading the highly contagious strain, including:

  • Wear a multi-layer mask that fits well whenever you’re outside your home.

  • Watch your distance, and avoid gatherings with people you don’t live with.

  • Wash your hands regularly.

  • Get vaccinated when you’re eligible