Concordia College will officially have a license to serve alcohol on campus starting this summer.
This news may lead Cobbers to believe in an upcoming campus bar, but this is not the case. Strict guidelines have been applied to the sale of alcohol on campus.
Concordia will only be allowed to serve alcohol during the summer months, not the during the academic months. From the Monday after graduation until the day before faculty workshops, Concordia can offer alcohol. Janet Paul, director of Dining Services, says there are no exceptions to this rule as of now.
Moreover, alcohol can only be served to off-campus groups, such as business receptions or weddings. Only beer and wine will be offered at this point.
“The request for beer and wine at catered events isn’t anything new,” Paul said. “It’ll be a nice enhancement for those groups that want to come and be able to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer at their event. This is something we’ve been having inquires about for many years.”
Concordia’s new liquor license will allow Concordia to host events they may not have been able to in the past, Susan Wee said, director of conferences and events and Fargo/Moorhead communiversity.
“In some cases it will increase the events we can have in the summer,” Wee said. “Those events bring in revenue for the college.”
Wee explained that most guests aren’t asking for a full-blown bar, they just want a simple glass of wine or a beer. Having these options for guests will allow Concordia to host more events.
There have been some cases where people have chosen to have their event elsewhere because Concordia didn’t allow alcohol, Wee said. As of right now there are six weddings booked at Concordia this summer and Wee said two of them are having their event at Concordia instead of elsewhere because of the new liquor license.
“There has been a slight increase [in event bookings] so far,” Wee said.
Wee said it will be interesting to see how much of an increase there will be in event bookings in the future.
In addition to beer and wine, food and other non-alcoholic beverages will be served at these events; these beverages must be served just as prominently as alcoholic beverages. Naturally, any individual serving alcohol must be over the age of 21.
Paul said also said alcohol can only be served in either Knutson Campus Center or Barry Auditorium. No alcohol is allowed in academic buildings.
In addition to the policy set up by the Board of Regents, Dining Services set up some additional measures.
Included in these additional measures is that there are also limits as to how many drinks each person can consume at an event. Wristbands, given to guests over 21, will have a certain number of tabs on them. The length of the event determines this number. Individuals may drink one beverage per each scheduled hour of the event, plus an additional drink – if an event is five hours, guests will receive six tabs on their wristbands. To receive drinks, guests must show bartenders their wristbands and remove a tab.
Dining Services is also requiring all summer staff to participate in server training so they will know how to deal with any situations that may arise pertaining to alcohol. Guests who are obviously too intoxicated will not be served alcohol.
The policy for alcohol at Concordia was finalized and approved by the Board of Regents in January 2014.
“We’re waiting to get it in our hands,” Paul said.
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