Information for Students | Alcohol & Drugs

Individual Student Policies
Student Club and Organization Conduct
Guide to Planning a Party

Individual Student Policies

Under the Student Code of Conduct, the following is prohibited for all students:

• Alcohol (Student Code of Conduct, Article III.B.9) – Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by University regulations), or obvious intoxication. This includes the promotion of binge drinking or rapid, excessive alcohol consumption, or the aiding of another to obtain alcohol inappropriately. Alcoholic beverages may not, in any circumstance, be used by, possessed by or distributed to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age. This includes, but is not limited to, all violations of State and Federal laws. All activities and events where alcohol is served must be authorized through appropriate University personnel and conducted in accordance with University regulations.
  • NOTE: Situations in which students are under the influence of alcohol may present health and safety concerns. The University regards the health and safety of community members as paramount and expects students to be responsible in their use of alcohol. Anyone aware of a health or safety concern should contact emergency personnel immediately.
• Illegal Substances/Illegal Use of Substances/Paraphernalia (Student Code of Conduct, Article III.B.10) – Use or possession of illegal or potentially harmful substances, including, but not limited to, marijuana, heroin, narcotics, or other controlled substances except as expressly permitted by law. Possession of items that facilitate the use of illegal substances such as pipes, bongs, and/or homemade devices are prohibited, except as expressly permitted by law. This includes, but is not limited to, all violations of State and Federal laws. Also the illegal or harmful use of legal substances.
• Distribution and/or Manufacturing of Illegal Substances  (Student Code of Conduct, Article III.B.11) – The manufacturing or distribution of illegal or potentially harmful substances, including, but not limited to, marijuana, heroin, narcotics, or other controlled substances except as expressly permitted by law. This includes, but is not limited to, all violations of State and Federal laws. Because this behavior is actively destructive to the fabric of the community, sanctions related to the conduct will be more severe.
  For more information and for the latest updates on the Student Code of Conduct, please refer the Code directly.
• A special note on alcohol use in campus residential buildings
  • Students living on campus and their guests are subject to additional regulations concerning alcohol in the Residence Halls. These additional policies and protocols are outlined in the Residence Hall Handbook, and are enforced in conjunction with the alcohol policies found in the Student Code of Conduct. While you should refer to the Residence Hall Handbook for complete list of these expectations, a brief summary of these additional policies is listed below:
    • Students under 21 years old may not be in a campus housing space where alcohol is being consumed. The only exception is when the minor’s roommate is 21 years of age and consuming in their shared space.
    • Students over 21 years old may only consume alcohol in a campus housing space in which no minors are present, the door is closed, and the resident of the space is present.
    • No one may:
      • consume alcohol in residential common spaces (kitchen, hallways, lounges, etc.)
      • possess or use alcohol containers larger than 5 liters in capacity
      • possess or use rapid consumption devices (such as a beer bong) or play rapid consumption games
    • If a violation of alcohol policy is discovered in the residence halls, those involved will be required to dispose of all alcoholic beverages upon request of University personnel. Guests may be required to leave.

Violations of the standards of conduct listed above will result in one or more disciplinary sanctions, as described in the Student Code of Conduct and/or legal action consistent with local, state, and federal laws. Possible University sanctions include warning, probation, loss of privileges, fines, suspension, and expulsion. A complete list of student sanctions may be found online.

Student Club and Organization Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct also holds all student groups accountable to the policies listed for students, as well. The term “student group” means any number of students who have complied with the formal requirements for University recognition, or any group with student membership that uses University spaces, funds, or materials. This includes but is not limited to all clubs, organizations, teams and informal groups.

If a student group is found to be in violation of any policy, including the alcohol or controlled substances policies listed above, they group itself may face sanctions, in addition to each individual student involved receiving sanctions. These can include but are not limited to warning, probation, loss of privileges, fines, training or programming requirements, deactivation, and loss of University recognition.

Guide to Planning A Party

Parties can be fun ways to get together with friends. They can also get out of hand really quickly. Here are some tips to hosting a fun, safe, and successful party.

Who is invited?

Know who you want to come to your party and who is not invited. Also know how many people you invited and expect to attend. Be aware of the fact that your friends might bring other friends.
It will be helpful to know how many people can safely fit in intended party space. An overcrowded space can present a danger to guests. It could also bother your neighbors if the party is spilling out into the yard. If more people come than you expected, know how many are there, who they are, and even how old they are. If guests are making anyone in the party uncomfortable you may need to ask them to leave. Remember that you are responsible for your guests and what happens at the party.

Themes

Do you have a theme in mind? Themes can be a fun way to get people to dress up and be more involved. They can also make it easier to plan the party. All the decorations and music can follow this theme. Know that the kind of music you have at your party sets the mood and atmosphere. If you have loud, thumping music your guests are more likely to be rowdy and loud. 

Will there be alcohol?

Knowing the age of your guests is important if alcohol will be at your event for a couple of reasons:

• Whether your party occurs on-campus or off, you are responsible for ensuring no minors are served alcohol, according to state law. As a host, you have the extra responsibility for making sure this does not happen. Keep in mind it’s not an excuse to serve minors alcohol simply because you don’t know their age.
• If your event is in campus housing, having any friends over who are under 21-years-old while alcohol is present is a policy violation. During such a situation, everyone present can be found in violation of the Residence Hall Handbook alcohol policy, no matter their age.

Encourage people to be responsible! Keep an eye out for anyone who might have had too much to drink. Be the one that hands them a glass of water instead of another alcoholic beverage. If anyone is showing signs of alcohol poisoning, get help immediately. Everyone’s health and safety is more important than getting in trouble.

Where will you have the party?

No matter where you have your party, it is important to think about the people who might be affected by it. Notifying neighbors in advance that you have plans and giving them your number is a good way to let them be prepared, and to contact you if they need to. This way, they might call you instead of authorities.

Notifying any roommates you have is also just as important. Make sure all of your roommates are okay with you throwing a party in your shared space. If they are interested, involve them in the planning so they feel informed on what is going on.

If you have the party on campus it is very important to contain your party to the space. Be aware of how many people are allowed to be in the room, and do not invite more than that. Also be aware of the quiet hours (posted in the Residence Hall Handbook) and make sure your guests understand that at these times the noise levels need to be lowered.

Always have alternative food and drinks

If you are going to have alcohol, make sure there are alternative drinks and a variety of snacks. Not everyone who attends may want to drink and having other beverages gives them options. Fun drinks could include sodas with flavored syrups like a Roy Rogers (Coca Cola and Cherry Syrup) or a Shirley Temple (Sprite and Cherry Syrup). Giving people other options also makes them feel less pressured to drink if they do not want to. Always have water available, especially if there is alcohol at the party.

Plan your party

Know exactly how long you want it to last and stick with it. Inform your guests of this timeline so it isn’t hard to finish the party at the end of the night. It is also beneficial to have a general plan for what you want to happen at your party. Some time may be set aside for socializing, some for playing a few games, and some for watching a movie. Have an idea of what you want to happen. Parties without plans often fall apart.

Depending on your intended mood and activities, it would be good to move breakable items away from where guests will be. If the party is crowded it is easy for things to fall and break. Keep your party contained. Do not let people hang out outside and in front of your intended location. If you are hosting a party out of your house you can attract a lot of negative attention. Neighbors will be more likely to call the authorities, even when nothing is wrong. If a complaint is made about your party the police can come and disperse it even if no one was drinking.

Safety tips

People who are intoxicated may be vulnerable and need assistance in maintaining their safety. Have emergency numbers readily available in case anything happens. Look out for alcohol poisoning if there is alcohol. Don’t let guests who have been drinking drive after your party. Help them arrange for a safe ride home. Only if you feel comfortable and can maintain everyone’s safety, let them sleep at your house until morning. Keep in mind that the majority of unwanted sexual experiences occur when one or all parties are under the influence; this is an important time to monitor safety for oneself and others.

After the party

It is good to clean up soon after the party. Make sure not to leave remnants in your yard. It is also nice to follow up with your guests, make sure they got home safely, and thank them for coming. Go to your neighbors and thank them. If anything about your party bothered them openly listen to their concerns and/or advice. This could help you to have better parties in the future that do not negatively affect your surrounding neighbors