After the Inferno dance on the night of April 12, students arrived at the fountain on Utah Tech University’s campus to find it blocked off by the Utah Tech Police, who told them True Trailblazer had been canceled.
Usually, the True Trailblazer tradition happens at the fountain after the homecoming football game in the fall and the Inferno dance in the spring.
Luke Kerouac, the interim executive director of student engagement and leadership, said that while there was no administrative action to cancel the event, the Utah Tech Student Association did not sponsor the event.
“I know there are concerns with [True Trailblazer],” he said. “There are always concerns every year… we just asked [UTPD] to be up there and let [students] know the event is not happening.”
A since-deleted video on TikTok about True Trailblazer may have factored into the decision not to hold the event.
Kerouac said student safety is always taken into consideration when planning events.
“I think it’s important to remember that the administrators and those students planning those events really do have the best interest of the students in mind,” Kerouac said. “They want students to have [these] traditions all while being safe and accountable.”
Sergeant Juan Fulgencio is the special events coordinator for the Utah Tech Police Department and spearheaded the effort that night at the fountain. His job is to assess the security and safety needs on campus during large events.
Fulgencio said that in previous years, there has been a police presence at True Trailblazer to help clear the area once the event is over, but this year was different. Twelve officers were present at Inferno while three were at the fountain, but more were asked to come help clear the students who showed up after expecting the event to take place as usual.
“Throughout [Inferno], we have multitudes of officers roaming around,” he said. “Really, what we’re watching for is any kind of fights or disorderly activity.”
Fulgencio said using the buddy system at events like True Trailblazer is important to help avoid harmful situations.
“I would just make sure to understand the rules before you go there and have a safety plan,” he said.
Similarly, Utah Tech’s Title IX Coordinator Hazel Sainsbury, said safety is in numbers.
“Go with people that you care about and friends that you have connections with,” Sainsbury said. “Have a plan on how you’re going to navigate the event together.”
Sainsbury’s job is to provide help to any students who have experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct, and she said the office has seen students struggle with their academic performance after some of these incidents have occurred.
“My role is intervening in that process by providing them support measures and accommodations that would help them continue focusing on academics,” she said.
Sainsbury said it’s important to find ways to communicate with your friends if you feel unsafe in any situation, and to be aware of your surroundings.
“Let [the Title IX Office] see what we can do for you,” Sainsbury said. “We’re here to make sure that everyone has a productive and safe college experience.”
