New tailgate party rules impact NU alcohol policy

By Natasha Waggoner
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

A bold sign with the letters "NO ALCOHOL BEYOND THIS POINT" designated the boundaries of the alcohol zone at Norwich University's first official tailgating event, Alumni Weekend, Sept. 21-23.

"Part of what we do here is social development," said Mike McKean, VP for student affairs. "We're allowing adults to behave like adults and, at the same time, enjoy themselves responsibly."

The new tailgating policy allows anyone of legal drinking age to consume alcohol in designated areas on campus.

"All tailgate parties have to be sponsored by Alumni or parents who supply the alcohol," according to Chris Tucker, 20, a business management major from Pittsfield, Mass, and Chairman of the Norwich University Alcohol Awareness Committee.

"Students are not allowed to import or export alcohol from those areas."

The campus alcohol committee was skeptical of this new policy at first, but by the end of the weekend most became comfortable with it.

"We were expecting students to abuse this policy," Tucker said. "But it turned out most were well behaved and acted very responsibly."

Rachel Elliott, 20, a psychology major from North Andover, Mass, attended a tailgate party at the Norwich rugby field.

"Everyone was enjoying themselves," Elliott said. "But not to the extent that they were abusing the policy."

While many students enjoyed the liberty of being able to legally consume alcohol on campus, some students debate the logic of such a policy on a campus that is usually dry.

Michelle Roulleau, a 20-year-old psychology/communications double major from Orange, Vt., is the Vice Chair of the Alcohol Awareness Committee.

"I think this policy isn't the greatest idea," Roulleau said. "It's just asking for more trouble."

Since Alumni Weekend, there has been an increase in the attendance of the Norwich Alcohol Awareness Program (NAAP) classes, according to Roulleau. She believes that, because some students were caught having unauthorized tailgate parties, the policy was insufficiently clear.

"Due to a misunderstanding of the policy, students were caught throwing their own tailgate parties," said Roulleau. "This could have been prevented if a written policy had been handed out to all students."

Faculty and students said they look forward to having tailgate parties in the future.

"I think everyone enjoyed themselves and is looking forward to the next event where a tailgate can be held," Tucker said.

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