Student Organization Campus Event Policy

Purpose

The purpose of the Student Organization Campus Event Policy is to support students as they sponsor events, encourage the development of leadership skills when planning and hosting social events, and to help create a safe social environment for the University and surrounding community.
 

Table of Contents

Definitions

Policy

I. Requirements to Host Events

The student organization must be recognized in good standing at the time the event is scheduled to take place. 

For sororities/fraternities and other student organizations, if the applicable National/International risk management policy for the organization is more restrictive than the requirements in this Policy, it is expected that the organization will follow the more stringent requirements. 

Events to be registered with the Office of Student Involvement through the online Event Registration Form include, but are not limited to, any of the following on campus events: 

• Any event including outside guests where alcohol is present through a third-party vendor or bring your own beverage system.
• Events featuring live or recorded musical entertainment or amplified sound, including, but not limited to, band parties;
• Events defined as swaps, as well as formals, theme parties, step performances, philanthropies, new member presentations, step teases/shows, and other events as specified;
• Events involving 50 or more attendees in addition to the student organization’s members;
• Events utilizing any outdoor campus property;
• Events creating potential traffic congestion;
• Events presenting a potential health or safety hazard;
• Events providing food to 50 or more members or guests utilizing an outside vendor;
• Events where admission is charged; and
• Events involving sales, fundraising, and/or the exchange of items or services.

II. Policies for Hosting Campus Events

A. All Campus Events

1. The organization, members and guests must comply with all federal, state, and local laws.  

2. The organization, members and guests must follow federal, state, and local laws regarding illegal drugs and controlled substances. No person may possess, use, provide, distribute, sell and/or manufacture illegal drugs or other controlled substances while on organizational premises or at any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization. 

3. The organization, members and guests must comply with all UA policies and guidance, including, but not limited to the Code of Student Conduct, Facilities and Grounds Use Policy, Risk Management policies, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) policies, Student Alcohol and Other Drug Policy, and policies managed under the umbrella of Compliance, Risk, and Physical Safety at UA. 

4. For alcohol-free events, inflatables can be present if secured through an insured vendor and approved by UA Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).  

5. Construction of structures and amusement devices must be completed through a licensed and insured vendor and will require additional approval through EHS.

6. The use of glass containers by attendees (e.g., bottles, glasses, etc.) is prohibited. 

7. No alcohol of any kind is permitted at any event or activity related to the new member joining process. 

8. No alcohol of any kind is permitted at new member/pledge swaps.

9. All outdoor social events must be held within an enclosed area with a monitored entrance. [1] 

10. Event Security [1] is required for certain events.  Once the event is registered, the number of security guards required will be determined based on projected attendance, time, location, event description, source of the alcohol, etc.  

11. EHS retains discretion as to the absolute maximum capacity of any event based on established occupancy limits and other relevant factors [1]. 

12. The University reserves the right to shut down or otherwise regulate any registered event if, based on information available at the time, University officials, using their discretion, feel that the event is being conducted in a manner inconsistent with the way in which it was registered and/or if a safety or security concern reasonably exists.
13. If a group is found to be operating an event in a manner inconsistent with the way the event was registered, the group (and possibly individual members) will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. 

B. Events with Alcohol

2. Alcoholic beverages must either be: 

• Provided and sold on a per-drink basis by a licensed and insured third-party vendor (e.g., restaurant, bar, caterer, etc.); or 

• Brought by individual members and guests through a bring your own beverage (“BYOB”) system. 

3. The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (“ABV”) is prohibited on any organization premises or at any event, except when served by a licensed and insured third-party vendor. 

4. Common sources of alcohol, including bulk quantities, which are not being served by a licensed and insured third-party vendor, are prohibited (i.e., amounts of alcohol greater than what a reasonable person should consume over the duration of an event). 

5. Alcoholic beverages must not be purchased with organizational funds or funds pooled by members or guests (e.g., admission fees, cover fees, collecting funds through digital apps, etc.). 

6. Non-alcoholic beverages, which must include water, and non-salty foods must be visible, easily accessible, free, and neatly displayed. Food and water must be available at the beginning of the event and be replenished as necessary throughout the event.

7. An organization must not co-host or co-sponsor, or in any way participate in, an activity or event with another group or entity that purchases or provides alcohol. Any co-host or co-sponsor is subject to prior approval. Approval will not be given for on-campus events co-sponsored with a bar, event promoter, alcohol distributor, or similar entity. 

      8. Events with alcohol should not be promoted or advertised publicly.  
      9. Two or more organizations within the same council may not co-host an event without written authorization from each inter/national organization.
 
    10. For events with alcohol, the organization must utilize a guest list system and cannot exceed UA capacity based on local fire or building code capacity of the           
          organizational premises or host venue.

    11. The organization, members or guests must not permit, encourage, coerce, glorify or participate in any activities involving the rapid consumption of alcohol,
          such as drinking games.  

12. Event Monitors are required.[1]

• For events with under 200 individuals present, three Event Monitors are required, and one must be an elected officer.   

• For events with over 200 individuals present, one additional Event Monitor is required for every 100 guests. 

13. The following are prohibited at events with alcohol: 

• Slip and slides 

• Inflatables 

• Self-constructed pools or bodies of water 

III. Days & Times for Hosting Campus Social Events

Post-Event Clean-Up

Special Events

1. Events may begin the Thursday of the first full week of classes in a semester. Events with alcohol will not be allowed until the organization has completed appropriate alcohol training. 

2. Events with alcohol cannot last for longer than a four (4) hour time period. 

3. Only one event with alcohol may be registered per day. 

4. Multiple events occurring on the same day, but at different times require a 4-hour break between events and a separate registration and approval for each event. 

5. All amplified music/sound must stop thirty (30) minutes prior to the conclusion of all registered events. 

6. Philanthropy events may be held any day during the week starting at 8:00 a.m., as long as they do not interfere with classes or specified event blackout dates.  

7. Events may not take place on days when the University of Alabama is closed for regular business, including, but not limited to, holidays, fall break, winter break, spring break, or when the university suspends normal operations.

IV. Social Event Registration Timeline and Fees

Social events will incur a $125 registration fee per event. If alcohol will be present at the event, the organization must pay an additional $50 for each event. 

The social event registration system is available 24/7 for submissions throughout the semester once Event Smart training has been successfully completed.  All social events must be registered no later than seven (7) University business days prior to the date that the event is scheduled to take place. Events registered less than seven (7) University business days before the scheduled event may not be approved.  In the case of a social event registered less than seven (7) University business days before the scheduled event is approved to move forward, the following fine structure will apply: 
 
 

Definitions

1. “Guest” or “Attendee” shall mean a person who is invited by the student group that is hosting the social event as well as any individual accompanying the guest. Alumni members may be considered guests or attendees.
2. “Member” shall mean those individuals who are considered actives, pledges, new members, or are otherwise associated with the student group pursuant to the group’s constitution or by-laws.
3. “Social Event” or “event” shall be defined as any on-campus event planned, sponsored, promoted or funded by a student group that is inherently social in nature, including any event co-sponsored by an alumni/alumnae/graduate group and the undergraduate or graduate student organization.
4. "New Member Presentation "or "Step Tease/Show" shall be defined as any event or show, not including alcohol, that is intended to present and/or showcase members and/or new members of organizations. This may also be any event where the organization wishes to publicly showcase to an audience.
5. “Philanthropy” shall be defined as any event not including alcohol that is intended for the purpose of raising awareness and/or monies for a non-profit organization or a cause aimed to better the community. The event may or may not involve participants from the community, who are part of the non-profit or the cause being supported.
6. “Student Groups,” “organization” or “student organization” shall mean any group of students who have complied with the University’s formal requirements for recognition as a student organization.
7. “Event Monitor” shall mean members of an event-sponsoring organization that will be present and 100% sober for the duration of an event. Event Monitors cannot be pledges, new members of the organization, or members in their first semester of membership. 
8. “Common Source” shall mean any bulk quantity, common container, or freely available alcoholic beverage (e.g., beer, wine, liquor, or punch) that is provided by a student group, member, or guest and that is made available for consumption by any member or guest at a social.  
9. “Swaps” shall be defined as social events co-sponsored by no more than two registered social/fraternal student organizations from different councils.
10. “Third Party Vendor” shall mean an entity that is properly permitted, licensed, and/or certified by the appropriate local and/or state authority, which may include the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board and the City of Tuscaloosa.   
11. “BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverages) Events” shall be any event approved to have alcohol present, where event attendees furnish alcohol for their personal consumption. 
12. “Structure” shall mean something that could be erected for use at a social event, including, but is not limited to stages, boardwalks, tiki huts, canopies, viewing platforms, decks, temporary walls, and bars.
13. “Decorations” shall be defined as lawn or house adornments, including, but not limited to, signs and/or banners used to promote or theme events.
14. “Inflatables” shall be defined as displays that are expanded with air or gas (bounce houses, etc) and used for event promotion, logo placement, product display, or recreational purposes.
15. “Amusement devices” shall be defined as items designed for the entertainment of event participants and/or that require physical strength, agility, or coordination. These include, but are not limited to water slides/slip-n-slides, bungee run, Velcro wall, gladiator arena, dunk tank, mechanical bulls, bungee trampoline, and rock climbing walls.

References

Scope

Office of the Vice President of Student Life