An ad hoc workgroup of seven UCSD staff members has updated the university’s Consumption of Alcohol and/or Malt Beverages Policy for the first time in 15 years at the request of the vice chancellors of business affairs and student affairs.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Joseph Watson said the changes made by the committee are mainly focused on updating the policy.
“”In no way are we trying to be ‘a dry campus’,”” Watson said. “”And in no way are we saying that one cannot have alcohol at all events.””
The revisions to the policy seek primarily to provide clearer guidelines with regard to events that involve alcohol, according to Don Chadwick, director of sports facilities and a member of the committee.
“”Some of the language was ambiguous,”” Chadwick said. “”What we wanted to do was remove that ambiguity and make it more clear,””
Some of the changes expand the existing policy to include a ban on advertising the availability of alcohol at events. The policy particularly bans advertising that implies the presence of alcohol and includes the phrases “”All you can drink,”” “”Beer garden”” and “”Wine and cheese party,”” among others.
Watson and members of the ad hoc committee said the reason was to downplay the prominence of alcohol at events.
“”I think it was the matter not to give special prominence to alcohol or the consumption of alcohol,”” Watson said.
Other changes included the designation of both public and private events where alcohol is served. The filing date for a public event was extended from three weeks before the event to four weeks before while the filing date for private events is three weeks before the event.
Additionally, events at which alcohol is served are now allowed in residential areas of campus with the approval of the director of Housing and Dining Services.
Both Watson and Chadwick stated that the policy changes would not affect the status of either Porter’s Pub or Round Table Pizza, both of which are permitted to serve alcohol on campus.
“”They’re listed as an exception because they have their own license,”” Chadwick said.
The changes to the alcohol and malt beverage policy are part of a larger examination and revision of the UCSD Policy and Procedure Manual.
Sally Brainerd, chair of the committee and associate controller of the university, noted that parts of the Policy and Procedures Manual referred to offices that no longer exist, such as the business office, and for this reason needed to be brought up to date.
“”What we’re trying to do is align them to what the needs are currently and to assign them to the various offices across campus as appropriate,”” Brainerd said.
The committee is seeking comments from the UCSD community through the end of October, before the new policy is implemented. An Oct. 14 e-mail notified the student body of the changes, but of 13 responses only two were from students, Brainerd said.
Other members of the committee who worked on the alcohol and malt beverage policy revisions are Steve Evans of University Events Office, Anne Mayer of Business and Financial Services, Dave Rose of the UCSD police department, Jon Schmidt of Environmental Health & Safety, Ginger Truschke of real estate development and alternate Al Jenkins of the UCSD police department.
