BC party on campus sparks complaints
School apologizes, will look into noise
Allston and Brighton residents sometimes complain about student noise from off-campus parties. But on Saturday, it was a Boston College-sanctioned, on-campus Homecoming Dance party that raised hackles. At least a dozen residents from up to nearly a half-mile away said they woke to loud music from the so-called Lower Campus, which is in Boston.
“We messed up,’’ said Thomas Keady, a BC vice president who came to an already-scheduled neighborhood meeting attended by just under 50 people and a few students last night, to apologize. “We dropped the ball.’’
The Undergraduate Government of BC sponsors the annual dance, which includes food and soft drinks, but no alcohol, BC spokesman Jack Dunn said. This is the third year that the dance, which is a dressy affair and includes up to 1,500 students, has taken place. It is held outdoors under a tent near the Robsham Theater, located behind Alumni Stadium.
Keady said that in the last two years of the event, he has heard of two noise complaints. This year his office logged at least 15, he said.
“It should never, ever have happened this way,’’ Keady said. “This will not happen again.’’
In order to prevent future problems, BC officials will investigate what went wrong Saturday and Sunday morning and make sure BC police are notified about the time the dance is supposed to conclude.
The university had an entertainment license for the party that ended at 11 p.m., BC officials said. Keady said he was investigating why the event did not end on time. Neighbors said they heard loud music from a DJ until at least 2 on Sunday morning. “When I came home from a late evening, it was so loud I thought the party was in our neighborhood,’’ said Wendy Abramo, who lives on Commonwealth Avenue.
Some neighbors were incensed enough to walk to the party around 1:30 a.m. and take video of the action.
Keady’s appearance last night with Bill Mills, director of community affairs, seemed to mollify many at the meeting, which packed the basement room at Roggie’s New Age Brew and Grille on Chestnut Hill Avenue.
Several residents also added oft-repeated complaints about student off-campus behavior, and Keady promised to deal with those as well, saying that if neighbors had addresses of party houses, BC police would handle them.
He said three students were arrested over the weekend for actions off campus.
He told residents that if they have issues with off-hour student behavior in the future, they should call Boston College police.
Andreae Downs can be reached at andreaedowns@yahoo.com. 
