Alcohol Policy & Guidelines

•  General Alcohol Policy and Guidelines
•  Alcohol Violations and Sanctions for Students Under 21
•  Alcohol Violations and Sanctions for Students 21 & Over
•  Policy Regarding Illegal Drug Use

General Alcohol Policy
Mount Holyoke College permits the consumption of alcoholic beverages at social functions only within the stipulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the town of South Hadley that govern the purchase and selling of alcoholic beverages. Such social functions include all events held on campus and sponsored by any student, alumna, staff, or faculty member of the College, as well as any College-sponsored function held at an off-campus location.

The College expects all faculty, staff, and students to become familiar with the laws and with the College's policies governing alcohol and to consider the penalties and risks that can result from violations. The Mount Holyoke College policy is guided by three concerns:

1. the health and safety of our students,
2. compliance with state and federal laws regarding the possession, purchase, sale, and distribution of alcohol, and
3. our educational mission, which includes informing students so they can make responsible life choices. Consequently our alcohol policy is designed to do the following:

• observe all state and federal laws
  
  
• stress moderation, safety, and individual accountability of those 21 and over who choose to drink
  
  
• provide a college atmosphere free of coercion for those who choose not to drink
  
  
• maintain a community where the effects of alcohol are minimal and where problem behavior is reduced
  
  
• provide information and education for all students
  
  
• provide confidential and effective guidance and counseling for students with issues related to alcohol use or abuse (Federal Confidentiality Law 42CFR, Part 2)

Enforcement

Students who violate state or federal laws will not be protected by the College. Individual infractions of the state or federal laws regarding alcohol will not be adjudicated under the Mount Holyoke College Honor Code. However, dangerous or disruptive behavior and its consequences will be handled by the usual general judiciary procedure under the honor code. The. involvement of alcohol with such behavior will be considered an exacerbating factor, not a mitigating one. If an individual does not choose to follow these policies, she may receive sanctions ranging from a written warning to suspension or expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense. A chart of specific violations and sanctions can be found below.

Mount Holyoke College emphasizes the responsibility of each community member to be law-abiding, knowledgeable, and thoughtful about any decisions regarding alcohol consumption. With the help of the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project, residence hall staff, and other educational resources, the College provides information about alcohol use and abuse and urges all community members to take advantage of the opportunity to become educated and make informed choices about consumption and nonconsumption. We encourage those with concerns about their own or others' difficulties with alcohol and/or other drugs to seek confidential assistance through the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (x2616).

Guidelines

1. Use or possession of alcoholic beverages by any persons under the age of twenty-one is prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the College. (See page 152 of the Appendix or see Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 6, 34A, available at the Mount Holyoke College Library.)
   
   
2. Sale of alcohol to persons under the age of twenty-one is prohibited. (See page 152 of Appendix or Massachusetts General Laws.)
   
   
3. Deliveries of alcoholic beverages to individuals or groups are prohibited on the Mount Holyoke College campus, except those which have been arranged through the Department of Dining Services/Willits-Hallowell Center for social events that have been registered through the Office of Student Programs.
   
   
4. The presence, possession, or use of kegs by individuals or groups other than at a registered, approved event is prohibited on the College campus.
   
   
5. Persons twenty-one years old and over may use alcohol in the privacy of their rooms providing all guidelines governing guests, noise, and appropriate behavior are followed. (See Live & Learn, the residential life handbook.) Individuals should be informed that distributing to persons under twenty-one is prohibited by laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the College. It is a criminal offense, punishable by up to a year in jail and $2,000 fine, for any person to furnish any alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years, parents or grandparents of the person excepted.
   
   
6. Consumption of alcohol in unapproved'areas (e.g., residence hall corridors, stairways, elevators, bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms, laundry rooms, etc.) can result in disciplinary action. The possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in public/common areas or on the grounds of the College, except at registered events or licensed facilities.
   
   
7. The Office of Student Programs must be contacted to approve and register student-sponsored events in campus buildings or at outdoor locations on campus. Procedures outlined in the Campus Activities Handbook and host liability guidelines must be followed. (These guidelines can be obtained through the Office of Student Programs.) Alcohol may be ordered and served only by dining services/Willits-Hallowell staff.
   
   
8. For small private events held in the residence halls that involve the serving of alcohol, the Hall Committee must be notified and host liability guidelines must be followed.
   
   
9. Nonalcoholic beverages and food must be made available free of charge at any event where alcohol is served. Additional food may be sold at a reasonable rate.
   
   
10. Students and guests entering events where alcoholic beverages are served must show proper identification upon request. A Massachusetts driver's license or two proof-of-age photo-ID cards must be shown to be served alcoholic beverages. Any forms of identification that appear to have been tampered with will not be accepted. Altering any form of identification is a felony. Massachusetts state law prohibits those under twenty-one years of age and those having had too much to drink from being served alcohol.
    
    
11. Sponsors of events serving alcohol bear responsibility to ensure that no one is coerced, however subtly, to drink excessively.
    
    
12. If a person appears to have had too much to drink prior to entering an event, she or he should not be allowed entrance. Public safety officers will assist in removing unwanted guests.
    
    
13. Alcohol may be served for no more than four hours at any studentsponsored event on campus. During late-night events, alcohol service will stop one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the ending time of the event so that the last hour of the event will be alcohol free. (For more information, see the Campus Activities Handbook at the Office of Student Programs online.
    
14. Sponsoring social events and parties that encourage drinking as themes and advertising such events through words and/or images depicting drinking or drunkenness are prohibited. An event may be cancelled if sponsors do not adhere to this guideline.

Alcohol Violations and Sanctions for Students Under 21

Violation	1st Offense	2nd Offense	3rd Offense	4th Offense
Possession or consumption	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to 2 hour alcohol education class with the health educator	Meeting with dean, possible social probation, and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessment	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and possible suspension or required withdrawal	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and possible suspension or required withdrawal
Use of false ID to purchase alcohol	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to 2 hour alcohol education class with the health educator	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessment	Meeting with dean and possible suspension or required withdrawal
Dispensing alcohol	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to 2 hour alcohol education class with the health educator	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessment	Meeting with dean and possible required withdrawal or expulsion
Intoxication (requiring medical treatment)	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to ADAP for assessment	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to ADAP for assessment	Meeting with dean and possible required withdrawal or expulsion

The record of each offense remains on file until a student graduates or permanently withdraws/leaves the College. Violation of the Alcohol Policy or Policy Regarding Illegal Drug Use will be counted as a second offense when a first offense of either policy is already on record. Non-compliance with alcohol or drug sanctions will result in a student receiving the next level of sanctions for the original offense.

The College will not protect those who violate state and fedieral laws. Public Safety officers always have the option of arrest. In accordance with federal law, a conviction of an alcohol offense in any criminal preceeding will make a student ineligible for financial aid for a period of at least a year.

Parental notification will only occur under life-theatening conditions.

Violation	1st Offense	2nd Offense	3rd Offense	4th Offense
Public consumption/ open container	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to 2 hour alcohol education class with health educator	Meeting with dean, possible social probation and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessment	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessmen	Meeting with dean, and possible suspension or required withdrawal
Dispensing alcohol to underage students for purchasing for underage students	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to 2 hour alcohol education class with the health educator	Meeting with dean, two semesters of social probation, and mandatory referral to Alcohol and Drug Awareness Project (ADAP) for assessment	Meeting with dean and possible required withdrawal or expulsion
Intoxication (requiring medical treatment)	Letter of reprimand and mandatory referral to ADAP for assessment	Meeting with dean, mandatory ADAP assessment, and social probation	Meeting with dean and possible required withdrawal or expulsion

The record of each offense remains on file until a student graduates or permanently withdraws/leaves the College. Violation of the Alcohol Policy or Policy Regarding Illegal Drug Use will be counted as a second offense when a first offense of either policy is already on record. Non-compliance with alcohol or drug sanctions will result in a student receiving the next level of sanctions for the original offense.

The College will not protect those who violate state and fedieral laws. Public Safety officers always have the option of arrest. In accordance with federal law, a conviction of an alcohol offense in any criminal preceeding will make a student ineligible for financial aid for a period of at least a year.

Parental notification will only occur under life-theatening conditions.

The record of each offense remains on file until a student graduates or permanently withdraws/leaves the College. Violation of the Alcohol Policy or Policy Regarding Illegal Drug Use will be counted as a second offense when a first offense of either policy is already on the record. Non-compliance with alcohol or drug sanctions will result in a student receiving the next level of sanctions for the original offense.

The College will not protect those who violate state and federal laws. Public safety officers always have the option to arrest. In accordance with federal law, a conviction of a drug offense in any criminal proceeding will make a student ineligible for financial aid for a period of at least one year.

Parental notification will only occur under life-threatening conditions.