The feasibility for a campus wide alcohol policy is possible, but unlikely. A sustained effort over several years is necessary to make it happen. In the current Regents environment the best course of action is to go and take baby steps. The reasoning behind this is that if the students try to push for a full wet campus initiative, then it will fail. However, if the students were to ask for a exemption for a single area on the respective campus to serve alcohol in a controlled environment then it would probably pass. When the regents see that each campus is not being over run with drunks then they might loosen the grip on alcohol even more.

The Twin Cities Campus currently has an exemption to serve alcohol at Northrop Auditorium. If something along these lines was introduced in a positive and protective environment, with sufficient data to back it up, then the serving of alcohol is possible.

Each of the members of the Alcohol Task Force was mailed a packet of all the alcohol data that we got. It has several pieces of info that are the key to the discussion.
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The final recommendations from the Student Senate Alcohol Task Force Spring 2004 are:

1) A sustained effort is required over several years to make this happen. As a result we recommend that the Alcohol Task force is started again next year, with all campuses involved. Given the current atmosphere a sustained effort will be needed to bring the serving of alcohol to the campuses. All campuses should be involved because the issue of the serving of alcohol affected more then one campus.

2) Alcohol should only be served in a safe environment where a person can feel at ease, and it is possible to be sure that alcohol is only going to those who are of age. There should be a ceiling on the amount of alcohol consumed.

3) When/If an exemption is ever granted, it should be followed up by a sustained and comprehensive survey to make sure that it is helping out the safety of everyone involved. This survey is intended to show the effects of alcohol on the consumer.
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The Alcohol task force met several times during this year, 2004, to discuss the need and ability to serve alcohol on the various campuses. We had interviews with people from Boynton Health Services and from the public Safety dept of the University.

When collecting data we received data from the several areas. The General Counsels office gave us some data about the ATOD meetings. There was also data received from the different campuses.

The interviews were the best source of information. Employees from the Risk management office, Public safety, Student Affairs and health services should be interviewed for information related to alcohol.
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Chairs Notes,

-There seemed to be support from faculty and administration for this topic. I would recommend that they also be involved as it would create institutional memory and buy in.

-While we were discussing this topic another topic came up that I think needs a little attention next year. That is the environment that students deal with. They raise tuition but the overall student experience is lacking. This seemed to be the major issue at several of our meetings.

Charles Stech
Chair, SSCC Alcohol Task Force