Spring Break
Alcohol policy changes rejected
by Shana D. Lebowitz
Features Editor
News | 10/2/07
Posted online at 8:11 PM EST on 10/1/07
/ Last updated at 8:01 PM EST on 10/1/07
After testing out some reforms to the University's alcohol policy proposed by the Student Union last semester, the administration has decided ultimately not to accept them.
Currently, the policy states that student groups planning parties that include alcohol must purchase the alcohol through Aramark, pay for ID checkers and other security officials and separate of age students in a beer garden.
If the party isn't held in one of three campus locations with an alcohol license, the group must obtain a one-day license from the Waltham Liquor Commission, Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grime said.
Darlene Wansiewicz, the recording secretary for the license commission, said a one-day license costs $250 and should be requested at least 10 days before the commission meets every fourth Tuesday of the month.
Last February, Student Union officials lobbied the administration to accept a new policy that they said would ease costs and give groups more control over an event's logistics.
The proposed changes included getting rid of the beer garden and instead separating underage students with bracelets, allowing groups to buy alcohol from non-Aramark vendors, hire fewer security officers and allow trained students to serve alcohol.
The reforms, however, pose too great a risk to underage drinking, Grimes said, adding that the administration prefers to take a more cautious approach.
The administration agreed last semester to try a few events-Springfest in April, an event in the Rose Art Museum and one in Sherman Function Hall-without a beer garden and with fewer safety officials. Those events went smoothly, but that wasn't enough to change the policy, she said.
"Everyone got on board with trying [the event adjustments] to see if [they] worked out," Director of Campus Operations Mark Collins said.
"As an institution we sort of recognized that that's a lot of risk and a lot of liability. ...We're not sure we can go forward with the changes, which is why we've reverted back to the policy that was in effect the fall of last year," Grimes said.
Currently, the policy states that student groups planning parties that include alcohol must purchase the alcohol through Aramark, pay for ID checkers and other security officials and separate of age students in a beer garden.
If the party isn't held in one of three campus locations with an alcohol license, the group must obtain a one-day license from the Waltham Liquor Commission, Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grime said.
Darlene Wansiewicz, the recording secretary for the license commission, said a one-day license costs $250 and should be requested at least 10 days before the commission meets every fourth Tuesday of the month.
Last February, Student Union officials lobbied the administration to accept a new policy that they said would ease costs and give groups more control over an event's logistics.
The proposed changes included getting rid of the beer garden and instead separating underage students with bracelets, allowing groups to buy alcohol from non-Aramark vendors, hire fewer security officers and allow trained students to serve alcohol.
The reforms, however, pose too great a risk to underage drinking, Grimes said, adding that the administration prefers to take a more cautious approach.
The administration agreed last semester to try a few events-Springfest in April, an event in the Rose Art Museum and one in Sherman Function Hall-without a beer garden and with fewer safety officials. Those events went smoothly, but that wasn't enough to change the policy, she said.
"Everyone got on board with trying [the event adjustments] to see if [they] worked out," Director of Campus Operations Mark Collins said.
"As an institution we sort of recognized that that's a lot of risk and a lot of liability. ...We're not sure we can go forward with the changes, which is why we've reverted back to the policy that was in effect the fall of last year," Grimes said.
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