We have an announcement and want to get right to it.  The elephants are not going to be part of the Quad Mania festival.  We began the process for securing the elephants and all the necessary paperwork several months ago.  This was all completed and was relatively simple, given that they were on campus 4 years ago.  We know the elephants brought some controversy, but we did our homework and had evidence to support that these animals were very well cared for.  We know that much of what we do has an inherent amount of risk, but we enlist experts and follow a strict protocol for how we make our events happen. We know the response to elephants 4 years ago was great and this year, people were excited to meet the animals.  It's a once in a lifetime experience that we were excited to provide.  We are students too, and want what you want, so this is very disappointing news for us as well.  

In recent days, additional information was presented to the University that raised concerns about elephants in captivity.  We feel confident about the treatment of the animals we were hosting, but a recent incident in Missouri has put the topic of elephants on the national radar.  There are several agencies looking into the guidelines around elephants and their interactions with humans and the rules are evolving.  Clearly student safety is a priority and after much deliberation and by the recommendation of legal counsel, we were advised to terminate our contract with our elephant provider.  This was a tough decision, but we pride ourselves on both advocating for our fellow students and being good partners to the University.  

If you purchased a $10 ticket already, we hope that you and your friends will join us at the festival and we will navigate the change in price at the gate for you.   We are an open organization and are always willing to answer your questions. Please email studentevents@umbc.edu with any questions or concerns.