Introduction: Georgia State University is a dynamic learning environment. Its students, faculty, staff and guests interact in a wide variety of intellectual and social activities that extend beyond the classroom. The university promotes an alcohol-free campus environment but recognizes that alcoholic beverages may be available at university-related events. Such activities are consistent with the university’s cultural values when they foster moderation, accountability and safety in alcohol consumption by persons of legal drinking age.
To support responsible decision-making about drinking, Georgia State strives to make alcohol information and education available to all students. The Department of Student Health Promotion, together with the Counseling and Testing Center, developed the Substance Use Risk Reduction Program (SURRP) to increase understanding about the responsible use of alcohol and the potentially harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs. Its mission is to create a low risk environment by supporting change in the campus culture and by educating and empowering students. The SURRP Program provides a comprehensive range of evidence-based alcohol and other drug prevention and intervention services as well as confidential counseling services for students with issues related to alcohol and drug use and abuse. Advocacy training is provided to campus stakeholders on an ongoing basis.
I. Alcohol Policy
- General. The university supports all federal, state and local laws relating to the use of alcoholic beverages. The unlawful possession, use, distribution, sale or manufacture of alcohol by members of the university Community (students, student organizations, staff and faculty) is strictly prohibited as is the possession, use, or sale of alcohol in violation of this Alcohol Policy.
- Sale of Alcoholic Beverages on University Property. The sale of alcoholic beverages on any property owned or controlled by the university is strictly prohibited. Cash bars at on-campus events are not permitted and alcoholic beverages at on-campus events may not be paid for by selling tickets for them whether in advance or at the door.
- Alcohol on University Property. Except as expressly permitted in this policy, the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on property owned or controlled by the university is strictly prohibited. Exceptions to this Policy may be made on a case by case basis but only by the university President or his designee, the Office of Legal Affairs. Persons wishing to request an exception for a specific event may do so by completing the university’s Request to Serve Alcohol process described below in Paragraph C.1.
- Legal Age. The legal age for possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Georgia is 21 and it shall be a violation of this Code Section for any member of the university community who is under the legal drinking age to possess or consume alcohol or for a member of the university community who is of legal age to provide alcohol to another member of the university Community who is a minor.
- University Housing. Residents of University Housing who are of legal drinking age may possess and consume alcohol in their on-campus residences and in the residences of other University Housing residents of legal drinking age in accordance with the restrictions set forth in the University Housing Community Living Guide set forth at https://myhousing.gsu.edu/current-residents/documents-and-forms/. Those of legal age who choose to drink are encouraged to do so safely, responsibly and in moderation.
- Events with Alcohol. Events with alcohol are subject to the policy requirements set forth below. These requirements are divided into two subcategories, depending on whether they are held on or off campus. For purposes of this policy, “campus” shall be understood to mean property owned or controlled by Georgia State University.
- On-Campus Events with Alcohol. This section governs all events held on the Georgia State University campus.
- General Prohibition and Exceptions. Possession and consumption of alcohol on campus is prohibited except as specifically permitted by this Policy or with the written permission of the university President or his designee, the Office of Legal Affairs as more fully described in the following paragraph.
- How to Request Permission to Serve Alcohol at an On-Campus Event. Persons who would like permission to have alcohol served at an on-campus event may seek approval to do so by having the event sponsor complete and route a Request to Serve Alcohol Form (“Request Form”) to the Office of Legal Affairs. The Request to Serve Alcohol Form is available at https://legalaffairs.gsu.edu/legal-services-forms/. All applicable departments identified on the Request Form must indicate their support of the event by signing the Request Form prior to submission of the document to the Office of Legal Affairs for review. The Request Form must be received by the Office of Legal Affairs for consideration no less than two (2) weeks prior to the Event. Permission to serve alcohol at an on-campus event, if granted, is conditioned on strict compliance with the requirements of this Policy.
- Review of Policy Requirements. If a Registered Student Organization is hosting the event, its campus advisor is responsible for reviewing the provisions of this policy with the Registered Student Organization. If a university unit is hosting the event, the administrative supervisor of the unit is responsible for reviewing the provisions of this policy with the unit prior to the event. If the event is sponsored by an outside group, then this obligation is the responsibility of the authorized group representative identified on the corresponding Request to Serve Alcohol.
- Prohibited Events. Events where the alcoholic beverages are the main focal point of the event are prohibited as are any events that contribute to alcohol overindulgence or abuse.
- Limit Hours of Service. Service of alcoholic beverages must be discontinued after a reasonable time and any service that exceeds 2 total hours must cease at least one hour prior to the scheduled end of the event.
- Advertising. Advertising for the event may not include specific reference to the fact that alcoholic beverages will be available.
- No Sale of Alcohol on Campus. Because the sale of alcoholic beverages on any property owned or controlled by the university is strictly prohibited, cash bars at on-campus events are not permitted. Alcoholic beverages at on-campus events may not be paid for by selling tickets for them whether in advance or at the door.
- Purchase of Alcohol. No State funds, including student activity fees or other funds maintained in university accounts, may be used for the purchase of alcoholic beverages. Student organization funds self-generated by an organization and maintained in off-campus bank accounts and Georgia State University Foundation funds may be used for the purchase of alcohol; provided, this provision may not be construed to allow alcohol for on-campus events to be paid for by selling tickets to the on- campus event, either in advance or at the door.
- Sponsorships and Donations from Alcohol Industry. Student groups may not accept sponsorship or donations of alcoholic beverages from persons or entities whose primary focus of business is the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol products.
- Who May Serve Alcoholic Beverages. The group sponsoring the event must use a licensed and insured caterer; provided, there are limited circumstances when the President or his designee may grant university departments permission to serve alcohol without a caterer. The group sponsoring the event is responsible for providing the caterer with a copy of this Policy. The caterer must agree to abide by all of requirements of the Policy. No self-service of alcohol is permitted. No pass-service of alcohol is permitted at functions that students or minors may attend. For purposes of this Policy, “pass service” shall mean the service of alcohol carried out by catering staff moving about the Event facility and pouring or distributing wine or other alcoholic beverages for Event attendees.
- No Access to Common Source Containers. No common-source containers of alcohol (e.g., kegs, beer balls, champagne/punch fountains, punch bowls, frozen drink machines, etc.) may be used at any function unless there is a licensed caterer who will have sole access to the containers and will take responsibility for controlling the dispensing of alcoholic beverages in a legal and responsible manner.
- Delivery and Removal of Alcohol. The alcohol must be on site with the caterer before the start time of the event (i.e. the caterer must bring the alcohol or the group sponsoring the event must deliver the alcohol to the caterer before the event starts). Alcohol may not be delivered once the event has started and all alcoholic beverages must remain inside the reserved or designated event space during the actual Event. Any alcohol remaining at the end of the event must be removed from the premises by the event sponsor; provided, no alcohol may be released to a person who is visibly intoxicated. In the event there is alcohol remaining at the end of the event and the event sponsor is visibly intoxicated, then the remaining alcohol shall be poured out by the caterer prior to leaving the event facility.
- No Underage Drinking. The group sponsoring the event is responsible for taking reasonable steps necessary to prevent underage drinking at the event.
- Check Identification. If students or minors may attend the Event, then the group sponsoring is responsible for designating persons responsible for checking the IDs of anyone ordering alcohol at the Event who appears to be younger than 30 years of age. Persons designated to check IDs may not drink alcohol at the event and questionable forms of identification must be rejected.
- Refuse to Admit or Serve Intoxicated Guests. No visibly intoxicated person should be admitted to the event or served alcohol at any function
- Safe Travel. A reasonable effort should be made to arrange a safe trip to and from the sponsored event for all attendees. The sponsoring group should encourage event attendees to have a designed driver who will refrain from drinking and should make taxi information available to event attendees.
- Provide Non-Alcoholic Beverages. The group sponsoring the event must provide non-alcoholic beverages available for the duration of the event.
- Serve Food. Food must be available for the duration of the alcohol service at the event.
- Post Drinking Restriction in Prominent Places. Notices informing event attendees of the legal drinking age must be conspicuously posted at alcohol service locations at events where the event attendees may include students or members of the public who are younger than the legal drinking age.
- Restrict Alcoholic Beverages to a Controlled Area. The group sponsoring the event must take reasonable steps to keep alcoholic beverages from being taken outside the predetermined boundaries for the event, to prevent visibly intoxicated persons from entering the event and to prevent persons from leaving the event to drink and then being readmitted to the event.
- Arrange for Event Security. Georgia State University Police officer(s) must be present for any event at which minors may be in attendance or if 75 or more people may attend. The group sponsoring the event is solely responsible for paying the cost of hiring the number of required officers (officers require a four (4) hour minimum hire). At student events where minors may be in attendance, the officer(s) must be uniformed. The number of officers necessary to manage the event will be at the discretion of the Director of University Police. A greater number of officers may be required at events at which alcohol is to be served for more than two (2) hours. If event security is required, the officer(s) are to maintain a security presence and to respond to requests for intervention. They will maintain contact with the event sponsor, the event caterer, and event facility staff and are to intervene when circumstances warrant intervention, when there is a duty to act, and as reasonably requested by the event sponsor, caterer or facility staff.
- Review and Comply with other Applicable Policies. Other policies may also govern on-campus events (e.g. fraternity and sorority risk management policies, university Special Event/Late Night Event Policy, Registered Student Organization requirements, NCAA requirements, etc.) and the group sponsoring the event is solely responsible for apprising itself of all compliance requirements applicable to the event.
- Cancellation for Non-Compliance. Failure to comply with the rules set forth in this Policy, State Law or with the university Alcohol Policy, as applicable, may result in the immediate cancellation of an event but will not release the group sponsoring the event from any and all charges associated with the event. Failure to comply may also result in the loss of on-campus space reservation privileges, University disciplinary proceedings and/or criminal charges. Any alcohol remaining at an event canceled for non-compliance with the university Alcohol Policy must be disposed of by the caterer before leaving the event facility and no reimbursement or other compensation shall be due to the group sponsoring the event for the alcohol or alcohol service.
- Co-Sponsored Events. Events co-sponsored by a student organization and a non-university entity are considered non-affiliated Events that require executing of the university’s Facilities Use Agreement in addition to permission to serve alcohol at the Event.
- Off-Campus Events with Alcohol. This section governs the following types of off-campus events: (1) events sponsored by Registered Student Organizations; and (2) events sponsored by university units if university students will be in attendance.
- Review of Policy Requirements. The student group campus advisor (if a student organization is hosting the event) or the administrative supervisor of the group (if a university unit/subunit is hosting the event) is responsible for reviewing the provisions of this policy with the sponsoring group prior to the event.
- Prohibited Events. Events where the alcoholic beverages are the main focal point of the event are prohibited as are any events that contribute to alcohol overindulgence or abuse.
- Limit Hours of Service. Service of alcoholic beverages must be discontinued after reasonable time and any service that exceeds 2 total hours must cease at least one hour prior to the scheduled end of the event.
- Advertising. Advertising for the event may not refer in any way to the fact that alcoholic beverages will be available.
- Purchase and Sale of Alcohol. No State funds (including student activity fees or other funds maintained in university accounts) may be used for the purchase of alcoholic beverages. Student organization funds self-generated by an organization and maintained in off-campus bank accounts and Georgia State University Foundation funds may be used for the purchase of alcohol. Cash bars are permitted at off-campus events and the cost of alcoholic beverages may also be paid for by selling tickets for them in advance or at the door.
- Sponsorships and Donations from Alcohol Industry. Student groups may not accept sponsorship or donations of alcoholic beverages from persons or entities whose primary focus of business is the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol products.
- Who May Serve Alcoholic Beverages. The group sponsoring the event must use a licensed and insured caterer to serve alcohol at the event and to monitor the consumption of alcohol at the event; provided, there are limited circumstances when the President or his designee may grant university departments permission to serve alcohol without a caterer. The caterer must be provided with a copy of this policy and must agree to abide by all of its requirements. No self-service of alcohol is permitted. No pass-service of alcohol is permitted at functions that students or minors may attend. For purposes of this Policy, “pass service” shall mean the service of alcohol carried out by catering staff moving about the Event facility and pouring or distributing wine or other alcoholic beverages for Event attendees.
- No Access to Common Source Containers. No common-source containers of alcohol (e.g., kegs, beer balls, champagne/punch fountains, punch bowls, frozen drink machines, etc.) may be used at any function unless there is a licensed caterer who will have sole access to the containers and will take responsibility for controlling the dispensing of alcoholic beverages in a legal and responsible manner.
- Delivery and Removal of Alcohol. The alcohol must be on site with the caterer before the start time of the event (i.e. the caterer must have or bring the alcohol or the group sponsoring the event must deliver the alcohol to the caterer before the event starts). Alcohol may not be delivered once the event has started and all alcoholic beverages must remain inside the reserved or designated event space during the actual Event. Any alcohol remaining at the end of the event must be removed from the premises by the event sponsor; provided, no alcohol may be released to a person who is visibly intoxicated. In the event there is alcohol remaining at the end of the event and the event sponsor is visibly intoxicated, then the remaining alcohol shall be poured out by the caterer prior to leaving the event facility.
- No Underage Drinking. The group sponsoring the event is responsible for taking reasonable steps necessary to prevent underage drinking at the event.
- Check Identification. If students or minors may attend the event, then the group sponsoring is responsible for designating persons responsible for checking the IDs of anyone ordering alcohol at the event who appears to be younger than 30 years of age. Persons designated to check IDs may not drink alcohol at the event and questionable forms of identification must be rejected.
- Refuse to Admit or Serve Intoxicated Guests. No visibly intoxicated person should be admitted to the event or served alcohol at any function and a reasonable effort should be made to arrange a safe trip home for persons visibly intoxicated.
- Provide Non-Alcoholic Beverages. The group sponsoring the event must have non-alcoholic beverages available for the duration of the event.
- Serve Food. Food must be available for the duration of the alcohol service at the event.
- Post Drinking Restriction in Prominent Places. Notices informing event attendees of the legal drinking age should be conspicuously posted at alcohol service locations. This requirement is particularly important for events where the event attendees may include students or members of the public who are younger than the legal drinking age.
- Restrict Alcoholic Beverages to a Controlled Area. The group sponsoring the event must take reasonable steps to keep alcoholic beverages from being taken outside the predetermined boundaries for the event, to prevent visibly intoxicated persons from entering the event and to prevent persons from leaving the event to drink and then being readmitted to the event.
- Arrange for Event Security. Groups sponsoring events with alcohol must provide adequate event security whenever a reasonable person would believe that the event poses an increased security risk due to the large numbers of people expected to attend, the possibility that minors will be in attendance, and/or the location or type of event. Sponsoring groups may not permit greater numbers of attendees than would reasonably be provided for by the number of security personnel present at the event.
- Safe Travel. A reasonable effort should be made to arrange a safe trip to and from the sponsored event for all attendees. The sponsoring group should encourage event attendees to have a designed driver who will refrain from drinking and should make taxi information available to event attendees.
- Review and Comply with other Applicable Policies. Other policies may also govern off-campus events (e.g. Greek risk management policies, University Special Event/Late Night Event Policy, Registered Student Organization requirements, NCAA requirements, etc.) and the group sponsoring the event is solely responsible for apprising itself of all compliance requirements applicable to the event.
- Student Travel. Students participating in university-related travel (for such things as conferences, study abroad programs, athletic competitions, internships, co-ops, etc.) are bound by the legal drinking age of the state or country in which they are traveling but in all other respects this Policy shall apply. Students traveling for such purposes may also be subject to any additional conditions placed on their travel (e.g. NCAA rules for student athletes, fraternity and sorority risk management policies).
- Tailgating. Tailgating at Georgia State sporting events shall be subject to this Policy and any additional tailgating policy adopted by the university. In the event of any inconsistency between the two, the university’s specific tailgating policy shall control.
II. Other Drugs
The university supports all federal, state and local laws regarding the use of controlled or illegal substances. The unlawful possession, use, distribution, sale or manufacture of illegal substances by members of the university community (students, student organizations, staff and faculty) is strictly forbidden. The use of drugs in University Housing will result in termination of the Housing contract.
III. Responsibility for Compliance
- The individual adherence to these policies on alcohol and drugs shall be the personal responsibility of each member of the student body, staff, faculty or administration of the University.
- Direct responsibility and accountability for the enforcement of these policies are imposed upon students, members of the staff, faculty or administrators of the University who, in the course of their duties, participate in the arrangement, sponsorship, supervision or organization of institutionally sponsored events (whether taking place on property owned or leased by the University or any unit or subdivision thereof, or any organization requiring approval by the university or otherwise).
- Direct responsibility and accountability for the enforcement of these policies are imposed upon the direct administrative supervisors or members of the staff or administrators of the university having duties described in paragraph B above to ensure strict compliance with these policies.
- Direct responsibility and accountability are imposed upon campus advisors to student organizations approved by the university, together with all elected or appointed officers thereof, to ensure strict compliance with these policies.
- All Registered Student Organizations must implement a self-monitoring system to ensure compliance with this policy. The officers of each organization must certify, in writing to the Division of Student Success each academic year that the organization is aware of and will comply with the provisions of this policy.
- Campus advisors, advisory boards, and student members of all student organizations must be familiar with the alcohol and drug policy and the sanctions for noncompliance. Further, they are required to report to the Dean of Students any cases of alcohol abuse, drug use or illegal service of alcoholic beverages.
- Every member of the Georgia State University community is encouraged to refer members of the university community with drug or alcohol problems to the Georgia State University Counseling and Testing Center or the university office of Employee Assistance.
IV. Enforcement
- Students who violate this Policy shall be subject to disciplinary action and sanctions as set forth in the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions take effect immediately upon being imposed by the Dean of Students and remain in effect unless and until overturned on appeal.
- University employees who violate this Policy shall be referred to their direct supervisor for disciplinary action up to and including the possibility of dismissal and referral to the appropriate federal, state or local authorities for prosecution in the courts.
Approved - Administrative Council - August 5, 2009
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