Suffolk University requires the observance of all laws and regulations that pertain to alcoholic beverages and other controlled substances as outlined in the statutes and laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to be familiar with and to comply with these laws. This policy is intended to allow for the responsible use of alcoholic beverages while providing safeguards for the University and its faculty, staff and students.

The minimum age for the sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages in Massachusetts is twenty-one (21) years of age. All state laws apply at the University. The laws of the Commonwealth read in part: “…Whoever…makes a sale or delivery of any alcoholic beverage or alcohol to any person under 21 years of age, either for his/her own use or for the use of his/her parent or any person…or whoever procures any such beverages or alcohol for a person under twenty-one years of age who is not his/her child, ward or spouse shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both…”

“Any person under twenty-one years of age who purchases alcoholic beverages or alcohol, or makes arrangement with any person to purchase or in any way procure such beverages, or who willfully misrepresents his/her age, or in any way alters, defaces or otherwise falsifies his/her age identification offered as proof of age, with the intent of purchasing alcoholic beverages, either for his/her own use or any other person shall be punished by a fine of three hundred dollars…”

“…Whoever being under twenty-one years of age and unaccompanied by his/her parent or legal guardian, knowingly transports or carries on his/her person any alcohol or alcoholic beverages shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars… A police officer may arrest without a warrant any person who violates this section…A conviction of a violation of this section shall be reported forthwith to the Registry of Motor Vehicles by the court if, at the time of the violation, the defendant was operating a motor vehicle upon a public way…”

The Commonwealth’s drunken driving law- Chapter 379 of the Massachusetts General Law- went into effect in September 1982

First offender drunk driving program: Massachusetts requires drunk drivers to attend nearly six months of intensive counseling sessions. This education program includes many hours of group sessions, AA meetings, and face-to-face talks with victims of drunk driving or victims’ families. Stiff sanctions are provided for those who fail to complete the program, including extended license suspensions by the court and possible jail.

Second Offense: The offender will serve a mandatory 14 days in jail and the judge may sentence the offender to up to two years in prison. Fines of $300-$1,000 may be imposed or the offender may be placed on probation in lieu of a jail term. Probation would require confinement for at least 14 days in a residential alcohol treatment program and a $690 fee. The offender’s license will be revoked for two years.

Third Offense: The offender will serve a mandatory 90-day sentence in a special secure facility and the judge may extend the sentence up to two years. The offender may be fined $500-$1,000 and his/her license will be revoked for five years.

Fourth and Subsequent Offenses: The offender will serve a mandatory minimum six-month jail sentence and the judge may sentence the offender to up to two years in prison. The offender may be fined $500-$1,000 and his/her license will be revoked for ten years. (Prior convictions must have occurred within six years of the date of the current offense.)

1. Use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited at all athletic events, both intercollegiate and intramural.
2. If potential members are under twenty-one years of age, alcoholic beverages may not be served at recruitment events.
3. Because student groups are funded, in total or in large part, by student activity fees, special attention must be given to any use of those funds for the purchase of alcoholic beverages. Therefore, alcohol may not be served on campus at an event sponsored by a student organization in the Sawyer Business School or College of Arts and Sciences (including Student Government Association, Graduate Student Association, MBA Association, and MPA Association) or by the Student Bar Association of the Law School, as well as those student organizations SBA funds, unless an exception is made for one or more of the following reasons:

A. The event is specifically designated for a student population over twenty-one years of age or
B. The Office of Student Activities provides written approval of the event and its sponsor agrees to comply with the regulations in this document covering events with alcohol.

4. Events on campus approved for alcoholic beverages (whether served or sold) must limit the alcoholic beverages to beer and wine.

The regulations for use of alcoholic beverages at programs and events sponsored at the University and/or by University departments and organizations are designed to enable these activities to be monitored for compliance with state laws and to limit the use of alcohol to designated areas.

The free distribution of alcoholic beverages at any event is prohibited except at small receptions primarily designed for staff, faculty and guests or special student programs approved, in advance, by the Office of Risk Management or the Office of the Dean of Students in the Law School (law school student events). All summer programs and conference guests should also contact the Office of Risk Management, except those located in the Law School, who should contact the Law School Events Coordinator.

A. Registration of Events:

All events for CAS, SBS, NESAD and non Suffolk affiliated functions with alcohol must be registered with the Office of Risk Management. In the Law School, the Office of the Dean of Students has this responsibility and will file a copy with Risk Management. To obtain this form, contact the Office of Risk Management except those located in the Law School, who should contact the Law School Events Coordinator.

Registration of events is required on the following schedule:
1. University receptions where alcohol is served but not sold: three days in advance
2. University events where alcohol is sold: 14 days in advance.

B. Staffing of Events:

All events where alcoholic beverages are served or sold must have a designated host who is considered the individual responsible for the event. In addition, all events must be staffed with monitors in a ratio of one monitor for every forty persons expected to be present. The names of the designated host and monitors must be provided as a part of the registration.

Designated Host: The designated host must be twenty-one years of age. In the case of student clubs and organizations, the designated host will usually be the staff or faculty advisor to that student group. In the case of the Law School, the host will be the person so designated by the governing body of the organization. The designated host agrees to assume the following responsibilities:

1. Act as the responsible overseer of the event in general.
2. Supervise those serving the alcohol when it is sold.
3. Deny alcohol to any individual who appears to be intoxicated.
4. Make reasonable efforts to insure that those who appear to be intoxicated have a safe way to leave the function.
5. Remain at the event for its duration.

Monitor/ Server: Monitor/ Servers are those students, faculty, or staff members who are responsible for serving alcoholic beverages to their peers. It is required that servers be certified by TIPS or Serve Safe to fulfill this responsibility. All groups that have 12 or more guests must include 1 Monitor/ Server. Events with 40 guests or more must include an additional monitor for every 40 guests. The Office of Risk Management can approve servers for college wide events sponsored by conference groups, except those located in the Law School, which should be approved by the Law School Events Coordinator.

University Police: University Police shall be assigned to all campus events where alcoholic beverages are sold. Based on a review of the event and expected attendance during the registration process, University Police may be assigned to other events at which alcohol is available.

C. Locations for Alcoholic Beverage Use:

Alcoholic beverages are permitted to be possessed, served and consumed only in the facilities listed below and only with the approval of the person whose office is responsible for scheduling that room. Any deviations from this list do require preauthorization by the Risk Management Office. Alcoholic beverages may be sold only in the two locations with asterisks. (See section on requirements for temporary liquor license for sale of alcohol.)

Locations Office for Room Reservation Approval

Locations	Office for Room Reservation Approval
Donahue Building, Room 403	Student Activities Office
Suffolk Café, Donahue Building(*)	Student Activities Office
Sagan Lobby, Donahue Building(1)	Student Activities Office
C. Walsh Theatre Lobby	C. Walsh Theatre
McDermott Conference Room (Donahue Building, Room 128)	CAS Dean’s Office
Munce Conference Room (Archer Building, Room 110)	CAS Dean’s Office
Dean’s Conference Room (Sawyer Business School, 8th floor)	SBS Dean’s Office
Sargent Hall Function Room* (Sargent Hall 1st floor)	Law School Event Coordinator
Trustee Conference Room (One Beacon St.)	President’s Office
NESADSU Gallery 28	NESADSU Executive Administrator
CAS Faculty Lounge (Archer Building, Room 401)	CAS Dean’s Office
Law School Gallery	Law School Event Coordinator
Law School Lobby(2)	Law School Event Coordinator
Vice President’s Conference Room	VP/Treasurer’s Office
Alumni/Faculty Lounge (Sargent 495 D)	Law Dean’s Office
Dean’s Suite Conference Rooms	Law Dean’s Office
Faculty Meeting Room	Law Dean’s Office
Faculty Dining Room	Law Dean’s Office
Corcoran Room	Law Dean’s Office
Vice President's Conference Room ( One Beacon St .)	Human Resources Office
CMD Conference Room ( One Beacon St .)	Human Resources Office
Kings Chapel Conference Room (73 Tremont 12 th floor)	Provost's Office
Granary Conference Room (73 Tremont 12 th floor)	Provost's Office
Leonard Florence Trustee Conference Room (73 Tremont 12 th floor)	President's Office
James Linnehan Conference Room (73 Tremont 13 th floor)	President's Office
Amenities Center Conference Room LaSalle (73 Tremont 1 st floor)	Property Manager's Office, Jones Lang

* Note: Alcohol may be sold only at these locations.

(1) Due to its public location in a mostly undergraduate facility, the use of the Sagan Lobby for the consumption of alcohol should be strictly limited and used only in a situation where the location provides specific benefits that can not be achieved by holding the event in an alternate location.

(2) Use and set-up of the Sargent Lobby for events with alcohol must be approved both the Law School Dean of Students' Office and the Law School Events Coordinator.

D. Time Limits on Serving Alcohol:

Functions where alcoholic beverages are served at no charge are to have a serving time limit of two (2) hours. Exceptions to this apply in the following cases:

1. Dinner functions may have a serving time of up to (4) hours;
2. Law School functions designed to serve both day and evening students may have a serving time of four (4) hours to allow faculty and students of both divisions to attend.

Functions where alcohol is sold are to have a serving time limit of four (4) hours.

E. Pricing and Purchase Limitations:

At events where alcohol is sold, there will be a minimum price of $1.50 for beer and wine. An individual will only be allowed to purchase two alcoholic beverages at one time.

F. Quantity of Alcohol Available for Consumption:

At events where alcoholic beverages are served at no charge, available alcohol must be limited to 1 drink per hour per guest. Drink is defined as 12 ounce beer or 6 ounce wine.
1. Events that have over 12 guests must have a TIPS server available.
2. All alcohol in opened containers at the conclusion of the event must be disposed of.
3. Event host takes responsibility for un-opened bottles of beer and wine at the close of event. Host must lock up alcohol in a predetermined location.
4. Unopened alcohol must be removed from the University by an individual who is at least 21 years of age no sooner than 12 hours after the conclusion of the event and no later than 48 hours after the conclusion of an event.
5. Under no circumstances may left over alcohol be removed at the conclusion of the event.

G. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages:

1. Non-alcoholic beverages must be available at the same place and for the same duration of time as the alcoholic beverages.
2. If alcoholic beverages are available at no charge, non-alcoholic beverages must also be free.
3. Food items such as snack food, hors d’oeuvres or full meals must be available for the entire time that alcoholic beverages are being served. If the alcoholic beverages are available at no charge, the food items must be free as well.

H. Advertisement and Promotion of Events with Alcohol:

1. Alcoholic beverages may not be used to promote or induce potential members to attend any membership programs of any club, organization, fraternity, sorority or other university group.
2. Alcohol consumption contests are not permitted.
3. Alcoholic beverages may not be given as a contest or competition prize.
4. Advertisements shall not mention the availability of alcoholic beverages in such a way as to be an inducement to attend. Promotional materials shall not make references to the quantity of beverages (such as number of kegs of beer).
5. Advertisements must mention non-alcoholic beverages and food as prominently as alcohol.

I. License Application Procedures for Events Selling Alcohol:

A 24-hour temporary liquor license must be obtained for any on-campus event at which alcoholic beverages will be sold. Under terms of such a license, the closing hour of the function can be no later than 12 midnight.

The procedure for securing this license is as follows:
1. Complete the required University registration process (See Section A, “Registration of Events,” above) two weeks in advance of the event.
2. Obtain a special license application at Boston City Hall Licensing Board.
3. Complete the application and secure three signatures – Risk Manager or Dean of Students in the Law School (Law School); Vice President/Treasurer; and University Police Lieutenant.
4. Return the application to City Hall with licensing fee at least one week prior to the date of the event.
5. Submit the original license and payment receipts to the Risk Management Office or the Dean of Students (Law School). Make copies of the license.
6. Post copies of the license at the event in the areas where the alcohol is distributed.

J. Establishing Proof of Age:

Students who are twenty-one years of age and older who wish to consume alcoholic beverages at approved on-campus events must present proof of age by providing a valid driver’s license or a valid passport along with a current Suffolk University I.D. card. In the case of a duplicate license, a birth certificate can be provided and date of birth will be verified against records of the Registrar’s Office.

Following the establishment of drinking age, a wristband will be affixed to the individual’s wrist as identification for the purpose of consuming alcohol. Only those wearing a wristband will be allowed to enter the bar area where alcoholic beverages are being served or sold. In the Law School an acceptable form of identification will be used to designate that drinking age has been established.

Periodic checks will be made by the designated host, monitors, and University Police to insure that those drinking alcoholic beverages possess wristbands or the designated identification (Law School).

If the event is one at which guests are permitted (see specific event policies relative to guest admissions), the above requirements for establishing proof of age will be enforced for guests as well as for Suffolk students, staff, or faculty.

Alcohol Policy Committee Members
Curtis Hoover, Associate Director of Summer Programs
Karen Schwartz, Risk Manager. In absence, Maureen Stewart, Director Budget /Risk Management
Laura A. Ferrari, Dean of Students, Law School
Patricia Gallagher, Law School Special Events Coordinator.
Tom Fuller, Catering Director, Sodexho Food Services
John Pagliarulo, Chief of University Police
Dr. Nancy C. Stoll, Dean of Students, Colleges
Dan McHugh, Director of Student Activities

Policy Revised January 2007
Policy Created October 1991.