After testing out some reforms to the University's alcohol policy proposed by the Student Union last semester, the administration has decided ultimately not to accept them. Currently, the policy states that student groups planning parties that include alcohol must purchase the alcohol through Aramark, pay for ID checkers and other security officials and separate of age students in a beer garden.

If the party isn't held in one of three campus locations with an alcohol license, the group must obtain a one-day license from the Waltham Liquor Commission, Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grime said.

Darlene Wansiewicz, the recording secretary for the license commission, said a one-day license costs $250 and should be requested at least 10 days before the commission meets every fourth Tuesday of the month.

Last February, Student Union officials lobbied the administration to accept a new policy that they said would ease costs and give groups more control over an event's logistics.

The proposed changes included getting rid of the beer garden and instead separating underage students with bracelets, allowing groups to buy alcohol from non-Aramark vendors, hire fewer security officers and allow trained students to serve alcohol.

The reforms, however, pose too great a risk to underage drinking, Grimes said, adding that the administration prefers to take a more cautious approach.

The administration agreed last semester to try a few events-Springfest in April, an event in the Rose Art Museum and one in Sherman Function Hall-without a beer garden and with fewer safety officials. Those events went smoothly, but that wasn't enough to change the policy, she said.

"Everyone got on board with trying [the event adjustments] to see if [they] worked out," Director of Campus Operations Mark Collins said.

"As an institution we sort of recognized that that's a lot of risk and a lot of liability. ...We're not sure we can go forward with the changes, which is why we've reverted back to the policy that was in effect the fall of last year," Grimes said.

She added that the administration would rather be preventive than reactive, "because we don't want anyone to be either harmed such a drastic way, or have it be fatal."

The Student Union hasn't given up on changing administrators' minds, Union Advocate Brian Paternostro '07 said. Paternostro worked extensively on this policy last semester.

Paternostro said the Union is struggling to find a way to reduce liability, yet still institute change to the current policy.

"It's the responsibility of the event planner to understand how alcohol can impact their event and then program around that," Paternostro said.

Grimes said Student Activities wants to help students navigate some of the complications with planning a campuswide event.

"I see our role as also trying to figure out how we can work with the student organization on the cost and trying to be creative and use the faces on campus that do work for alcohol," she said. For instance, she said holding an event in an already-licensed venue is free.

Wayne Brasco, the chairman of the city's Board of License Commissioners, last April expressed strong disapproval at the idea of students running events that offer alcohol.

"Students cannot take over control of alcohol on campus under any circumstances, under any conditions," Brasco said in a phone interview with the Justice. But he said he has no objection to allowing underage students into beer gardens.

Collins said that, without a beer garden, there is an "increased risk of [underage] exposure to alcohol."

Additionally, Collins said that without a beer garden, the University would hire additional safety officers, and the cost would increase.

Regardless of the beer garden, all alcohol must be served in an enclosed area under Massachusetts law.

Should an alcohol-related incident occur on campus, the University runs the risk of losing its liquor license, Grimes said. This makes flexibility difficult, Paternostro said.

In 2005, The Stein restaurant was cited twice for serving alcohol to underage students and nearly lost its liquor license. Aside from the Stein, the Faculty Club and the Levin Ballroom are licensed.

Fearing excessive underage drinking, the University cancelled Modfest, an event that provides free beer to students over 21, in spring 2006.

Union President Shreeya Sinha '09 and Paternostro said there has been a significant decrease in alcohol-related incidents over the past two years. Dawn Skop, an alcohol and drug counselor at the Health Center, also said incidents have decreased.

Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan didn't return a request for comment Monday.

Collins said the Aramark alcohol servers undergo training at least once or twice a year, in which they are instructed about state laws regarding alcohol, checking identification and recognizing the signs of intoxication.

"[Recently] there is more awareness of what happens when students don't drink responsibly," Sinha said.

Grimes said she doesn't know of any events involving alcohol that students are organizing. No students have requested a one-day liquor license, she said.



Rachel Marder and Hannah Perlman contributed reporting.