University legally allows alcohol on campus in some environments

Bloomington: a drinking town with a football problem. And after another bad football season, students on campus should know the IU campus is anything but dry.

But not everyone knows that on this dry campus there are places that are allowed to get moderately “wet.” The policy of alcohol not being allowed on campus is one that Dean of Students Dick McKaig said cannot be found in any University document.

“Indiana University as a ‘dry campus’ is what you would call student terminology,” McKaig said. “That terminology is a catchy phrase and sells some T-shirts, but in reality it’s not the policy of the University.”

IU students wear T-shirts mocking the idea of an alcohol-free campus, often using the term “dry campus,” when they gather before, for football games to tailgate. With much underage drinking occurring on campus, McKaig said Indiana state laws apply to tailgating areas.

“Students who are underage who are possessing and consuming alcoholic beverages in that area can be cited,” McKaig said. “They would also be on University property at that time, so they would probably be cited for violating University regulations as well.”

The Interfraternity Council came up with a way for of-age students to avoid violations when they made a proposal to McKaig in 2006 for a Bring Your Own Beer (BYOB) registered party. First the party must be registered by the fraternity chapter to the IFC, then by McKaig.

BYOB parties would have an off-duty police officer – not affiliated with the IU Police Department – to supervise and check IDs.

The IFC wanted to show the University that ignoring drinking in fraternity houses isn’t going to solve the problem, said Stephen Poremba, vice president of recruitment for IFC.

Thom Simmons, assistant director of the IMU, said student organizations are allowed to hold private catered events where alcohol is present. The IMU is allowed to serve alcohol because of a hotel permit from the Indiana Alcohol Beverage Commission.

“Is (alcohol) allowed anywhere in the Union? Based on our permit, yes, but based on our practice, no,” Simmons said. “What we’ve limited it to in practice is for alcoholic beverages to be served at basically private catered events. We card anyone that doesn’t appear to be of age.”

McKaig said it is not uncommon for there to be alcohol in the IMU.

“If you’ve been in the Indiana Memorial Union when somebody’s having a wedding reception, you might notice alcoholic beverages,” McKaig said, “or maybe you’ve been to a University dinner in the Tudor Room where alcoholic beverages have been served.”

Steve Veldkamp, assistant dean of students and director of student activities, said the student code of conduct allows for the dean of students to give a permit to an organization to hold a social function where alcohol is present.

Alcohol is also allowed in some apartments and in some campus dorms such as Willkie Quad. Director of Residential Operations Bob Weith said residents in some spots, such as Stemple in Ashton Center and select floors of Eigenmann Hall, are legally allowed to drink in their dorms if they are 21 or older.

“One of the prohibitions is that residents are not supposed to be sharing their alcohol with folks who are not of legal age,” Weith said.

Empty alcohol bottles are not allowed in the dorms either, Weith said.

“Just this fall, we had approved a new residence hall policy that having empty alcohol containers is a violation for those who are underage,” Weith said. “It’s largely because we have historically had lots of empty containers like people stacking them up in their rooms, etc., like trophies. And it makes it very difficult for our staff members to enforce policy when they’re unsure about what has alcohol in them and what doesn’t.”