This is a rebuttal to the opinion piece "Senior week is weak"
By Maggie Clukey - 1851 Contributor
The Senior Class acknowledges and understands the concerns behind Senior Week. It is difficult to create an itinerary that serves every member of the Lasell Community, which is why we have collectively decided to address this article. In this, it is not our intention to cause issues, however it is important to defend the hard work our committee put in to create a week that was both COVID-19 precautious without losing the general attraction of the beloved Senior Week.
As we began planning, there were many drawbacks that the committee was originally facing that are outlined throughout this article. First, in an attempt to create a safer atmosphere for our peers while handling the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided that bringing a number of events on campus would be mindful, all while still giving the feeling of an exclusive event for our Senior class. In the beginning of the article, it was mentioned that being on campus during Senior Week is "lame," however later the idea of Senior Week being a "super spreader" was introduced, and would be too risky right before crossing Taylor Field. This alone outlines the fact that no matter what we did, and no matter what events were featured, these issues would still arise, and are in fact contradictory.
We would like to address the notion of considering Senior Week as “tone deaf at best” for having events with alcohol. It is unfortunate that this needs to be addressed, as many of us know and love someone struggling with alcohol misuse. As we go about handling this sensitive portion of the article, the Senior Class Committee would like to sincerely apologize to any Seniors who feel unable to participate in these events due to their sobriety status. We want you all to know we stand with you, recognize you, care about you, and never intended to create any harm while planning this. Us as a committee were utilizing past itineraries of Senior Week to brainstorm ideas for our class. Each year has had a very similar itinerary that features alcohol and gambling, where these past years were a large influence for our class events. It is also important to note that every Senior Week in the past has been 21+, regardless of alcohol being present. The University does praise students for an accelerated three year track, however this is not in control of the Senior Class Committee, where we are required to follow the 21+ guidelines.
It is also mentioned that the cost of Senior Week is extremely high and not ‘worth it.’ For reference, this is one of the cheapest Senior Weeks for the Lasell students in years. A singular event easily costs five through ten thousand dollars. This is mentioned just to put price into perspective.
The last thing we would like to touch on is the nature of this article. Creating change in an organization is first hand. We encourage everyone who is interested in creating changes to events of Senior Week to run for a position. If you want to see change happen, then make it happen. Join the committees and come up with unique and accessible events. It is important to recognize that the committee is made up of students, and receiving critiques on our work is appreciated. However, please be mindful of how everyone addresses issues and be aware that these articles target the committee and disheartens the members for all the hard work we have put in. These events have been in progress since June of 2021, and we have spent countless hours to make Senior Week happen for the first time since 2019.