Dartmouth College Social Event Management Procedures (SEMP) Revised December 9, 2010 Purpose The Social Event Management Procedures (SEMP) reflect Dartmouth College s commitment to provide the safest possible social atmosphere for members of the College community and their guests. Its success depends upon the cooperative efforts of students, faculty, administration, and alumni in both understanding and upholding the spirit of personal responsibility and respect for self and others that is embodied in these procedures. Any exceptions to these procedures must be approved in advance by the Office of the Greek Letter Organizations and Societies or the Collis Center for Student Involvement. Goals Social gatherings at Dartmouth College are an important part of our community life. For all events, regardless if alcohol is present, we strive to achieve the following goals: Comply with College policy and state and local laws. Respect the rights of all individuals and respect the property of others. Protect the health and safety of community members and their guests. Empower and encourage students to assume an active role in the planning and management of social events. Provide an enjoyable atmosphere conducive to positive social interaction. When alcohol is present, model responsible alcohol use. Decrease legal liability for students, organizations, and Dartmouth College. Legal Compliance All students and sponsoring organizations must comply with federal, state, local laws, and regulations concerning the service of alcohol at all times, including at member-only events. Students and sponsoring organizations must also fully observe the Dartmouth College Student Alcohol Policy. Violations Sponsoring organizations could be held accountable for any violations of College policy that occur at their social event. Individual violators could also be held accountable for their actions. Alleged violations will be forwarded to the Undergraduate Judicial Affairs Office for possible further action. When applicable, organizations and individuals are also responsible to uphold specific departmental regulations. Please check with your sponsoring department for further information. Good Faith It is recognized that this document cannot address, in specific fashion, all possible social situations that may occur. Where these procedures are not specific on a particular point, individual and organizational hosts are expected to conduct their social events and themselves in the spirit of social responsibility consistent with these procedures.
Procedures Irresponsible alcohol consumption can often interfere with the educational purpose and social climate of the College. All students and student organizations have a responsibility to follow the Social Event Management Procedures (SEMP) outlined below and will be held accountable for failure to follow the procedures. Social Event Categories Under 50 people Tier 1: Members only Tier 2: Fewer than 150 attendees -OR- one non-member arrives at a members only event Tier 3: More than 150 attendees Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Numbers Members only Fewer than 150 -OR- 1 non-member arrives at Tier 1 event A "Developing Scene" Oversight Types of Alcohol Allowed Registration and Meetings Required Designated "sober monitor" No walkthrough Cans, Kegs, or Wine Register online by 3pm day of event, no meeting Activate "Tier 2 Internal Management Plan" 1+ walkthrough More than 150 Open to campus Full event management procedures (wristbands, checking IDs at door, etc.) 2+ walkthroughs Cans, Kegs, Wine, or Tails Cans or Kegs Maximum 5 kegs per party. Maximum 2 taps active at a time. If cans or kegs, register on the fly online. If tails, register by 3pm day of event, come to GLOS office for approval. ***When the attendance is 50 or fewer, the event does not require registration. Register online by midnight on Wednesday the week of event. Meeting with GLOS director for approval. Additional Considerations: Only one type (kegs, cans, wine, tails) of alcohol at an event. Kegs must always be registered and tagged as they are an exception to college alcohol policy. Tails must be registered ahead of time. You may not register tails on the fly. Punches are STRICTLY prohibited. Outdoor Events: Outdoor events which include alcohol are prohibited by the College Alcohol Policy. However, in very rare circumstances an exception may be granted by the Director of Greek Letter Organizations and Societies. To request an exception, the host of the event should contact the GLOS office no later than three (3) weeks prior to the event. There is a significant amount of risk management necessary for outdoor events, which creates the need for this exception ahead of time.
Definitions The terms defined in this section are intended to be used in the context of Dartmouth College student social events. Social Event: 1. Any activity that is sponsored by a student or organization and at which alcohol is present unless the event is held at an establishment licensed to sell alcohol (ie., restaurant, hotel, bar, nightclub, etc.). 2. This includes, but is not limited to, events that are hosted or cosponsored by multiple individuals or organizations. Sponsoring Organization: 1. Any Dartmouth College student, group of students, organization or living unit that pays for or otherwise provides alcohol, directly or indirectly, to attendees and/or registers, or should have registered, a social event in any College-affiliated space (residence hall room or common space; GLO, undergraduate or senior society physical plant; designated social space; etc.). 2. Sponsorship may be indicated by, but is not limited to, the names of the individuals or the organization on the registration form, and planning or agreeing to participate or attend the social event. 3. Sponsoring organizations are responsible for the social event from beginning to end. The organization is responsible for ensuring the safety of guests and security of the facility as well as compliance with all applicable laws, College policy, and the Social Event Management Procedures. 4. This definition also applies to co-sponsorship of social events. Event with fewer than 50 people: 1. Events that are unplanned and occur on a typical evening in the physical plant of an organization. 2. These events do not require registration or notification; however, each organization s internal management procedures must include their specific plans for managing alcohol on a daily basis. Tier 1 (Members Only) Event: 1. Events that are only open to and attended by student members of one recognized student organization. 2. Hard alcohol is not permitted. 3. The GLOS office and Safety and Security must be notified of these events by completing a registration form: enter new URL here. This form must be completed by 3pm on the day of the event. Tier 2 Event: 1. Events that have fewer than 150 attendees or are a members only event that becomes a Tier 2 event by the addition of one non-member. 2. If serving beer or wine, the event must be registered "on the fly" by calling Safety and Security at 6-4000 and registering the event online at enter new URL here. a. Beer or wine Tier 2 events may be registered ahead of time, if the host prefers. 3. If serving hard alcohol ("tails"), the event must be registered online by 3pm on the day of the event at this URL, and the event host must come to the GLOS office for approval of the event. Tier 3 Event: 1. Events that have more than 150 attendees and are open to the Dartmouth campus. 2. Organizers must follow their internal management plan as approved by the GLOS office.
3. Tier 3 events must be registered by 11:59pm on the Wednesday prior to your event online here (URL). Any changes to this registration deadline will be communicated by the overseeing office with at least one week notice. 4. After registering online, the host must meet with a representative from the overseeing office to discuss management plans, determine number of alcohol servings permitted, distribute wristbands and keg tags (if needed). 5. Hard alcohol is not permitted. Event Host: 1. Students from a sponsoring organization who are responsible for the management of the social event including ensuring the safety of guests and security of the facility as well as compliance with all applicable laws, College policy, and the Social Event Management Procedures. 2. Hosts are in charge and in attendance at all times. 3. Hosts are responsible for dealing with problem situations that arise during the social event, including those at the entrance, exits, and serving area. Hosts ensure that the social event is executed with courtesy and respect towards the surrounding areas (including residential areas and neighbors). 4. Hosts must be actively enrolled Dartmouth students 18 years old or older. 5. Hosts are listed on the registration form and are easily identifiable during the social event. 6. Hosts may not consume alcohol or be under the influence of any other substances during the social event. 7. Hosts will have attended the Dartmouth College "SEMP Training". Server: 1. Individuals, usually Dartmouth College students, either paid or volunteer, that are under the direction of the event host(s) who responsibly and legally dispense, distribute, or otherwise provide alcohol to an individual. 2. Consistent with New Hampshire state law, servers must be 21 years of age or employed by a licensed caterer. 3. Servers may not consume alcohol or be under the influence of any other substances while monitoring the social event. 4. Dartmouth College approved caterers with a valid New Hampshire liquor license may be hired as servers. A list of approved caterers is on the Conferences and Special Events blitz bulletin board. 5. Student servers will be required to have attended the Dartmouth College Host, Monitor, and Server Workshop (aka "SEMP Training"). Monitor: 1. Individuals, usually Dartmouth College students, either paid or volunteer who are under the direction of the event host(s). 2. Monitors typically work at the entrance door, exits, circulate through the event, or other locations at the direction of the host(s) to ensure the safety of guests, security of the facility, and compliance with these procedures. 3. Monitors may not consume alcohol or be under the influence of any other substances while monitoring the social event. 4. Monitors will have attended the Dartmouth College "SEMP Training". 5. For Tier 3 events, the minimum number of College trained student monitors for registered events is five (5). Organizations, in consultation with GLOS office, may determine that more monitors are needed to effectively manage their event. Student organizations should strive for a ratio of 1:25 one monitor per twenty-five guests.
Guest: Any person in attendance at a social event other than the hosts or members of the sponsoring organization holding the social event. Intoxication: Intoxication is identified by generally reliable signs. These signs may include, but are not limited to, the strong odor of alcohol on an individual's breath, slurred speech, impaired coordination, glassy eyes, or exaggerated emotions and behaviors. Students may be considered to have violated the College policy prohibiting public intoxication if their level of impairment attracts the attention of College, town, or other officials and warrants medical care. With respect to this policy, "public" is understood to be any place to which members of the community have general access, including hallways, common spaces, and rest rooms of administrative and academic buildings, residence halls, Greek letter organizations and societies. It does not include students' individual rooms. Calculating Servings 1. Calculate the possible # of servings (# of legal aged drinkers) X (# of hours of Event) = # of servings allowed. 2. Determine quantity necessary to accommodate # of servings. Serving Size Definitions 1 Serving = 12 ounces of beer 5 ounces of wine 1 ounce of hard liquor Beer and Wine: 1 Keg = 150 servings of Beer 1 Large bottle of wine, 1.5 liters= 50 oz.= 10 servings 1 Small bottle of wine, 750mls= 25 oz.= 5 servings Hard Alcohol: 1 "Handle" of spirits, 1750mls= 60 oz.= 60 servings 1 Liter = 33.8 oz.= 33.8 servings 1 Bottle, 750mls= 25 oz.= 25 servings
Frequently Asked Questions 1. In terms of kegs, how early can you have them in before a party and how soon do they need to be out of the house, as long as they are registered and untapped? You may purchase and bring to your house a keg at any time the day of the event providing that if the event is over 50 guests you have registered it online. If an S&S officer sees you bringing in a keg, they may check that you have registered the event. For Tier 3 events there is a maximum of 5 kegs per event and a maximum of two kegs tapped and active at a time. The college does not have a limit on when kegs should be returned, however the retailer may have a standard time that the keg and/or taps should be returned. 2. What clearance do you need to play pong outside? I know that you need an alcohol exemption to drink at all outside, but do you need a separate one to play pong? Regardless of whether you are playing with beer or water, pong tables are not allowed outside at any time. You may request an exception for an outdoor event as detailed above. 3. If an organization notifies and gets a keg for a Tier 1 event, what are the restrictions placed on other types of alcohol that may be in the house, and vice versa (ex, for storage)? Any time that your organization hosts an event, you are responsible for following appropriate internal management procedures to secure any other alcohol in the house. Students over 21 are allowed to keep personal supplies of alcohol in their rooms, though this must not be distributed to guests during the event In terms of storage, a keg is allowed to be stored in the house any time the day of the event (as long as you have already registered online). Any other alcohol may be stored in the house as long as it remains in a secure location and it is not served at the same event with another source of alcohol. 4. If the number of people at our event grows unexpectedly, what should we do? You can always call Safety and Security to help you escort people from the house. However, it is up to your organization to prepare for unexpected events to occur, and have an appropriate risk and event management procedure in place. 5. When does an event become an "on the fly" event? A Tier 2 event can be registered until 3pm on the day of the event. Any notification or registration after this point will be considered a notification on the fly. Only Tier 2 events can be registered "on the fly". In order to register an "on the fly" event because a "scene has developed" you must call Safety and Security at 6-4000 and also complete the online form here: 6. What if I register a Tier 2 event and then decide to change it to a Tier 3 event? You may change an event at any time until 36 hours before the event is scheduled to begin. Please contact the GLOS Office or Collis Center. A tier 2 event cannot become a tier 3 event "on the fly". 7. How early do registrations for Tier 3 parties have to be made?
The deadline for registering and event is 11:59pm on the Wednesday prior to the event. However, you can register your events much earlier than that if you'd like! 8. What if I want to advertise that alcohol will be at a party? Alcohol cannot be the primary focus of an advertising blitz or poster. While a mention of alcohol or kegs can be made, it must be secondary to the general theme or purpose of the party. 9. We leave our door open during most events, and there is not always a person on door. Barring an obvious danger that would cause a Safety and Security officer to respond (for example, seeing a sick person, or some act of violence), would there be some chance that the officer would come into the house? It is important to have some way of monitoring and controlling who enters and exits your house. Your internal management procedures should have some statement about door control. S&S officers must have some reason to enter a house, but it can be for something such as a noise complaint, question about events related to your house, etc. In addition, for issues of theft and security, it is advisable to either lock your door or have some defined way of monitoring who comes and goes. 10. What happens if Safety and Security or Hanover Police respond to an incident at our event? It is the responsibility of any responding official to document what they observe in a formal report, and take appropriate action at the time of the incident. If there is an alleged violation of college policy or procedures, the organization may face a hearing with the Organizational Adjudication Committee (OAC). Undergraduate Judicial Affairs administers this process, and will be the body requesting additional statements prior to the hearing. If Hanover Police responds to an incident at your event, they conduct an investigation independent of the college, but may ask for our cooperation. They will also share their findings with us at the conclusion of their investigation, which may result in college action.