Alcohol and Illicit Drugs Policy

Grinnell College prohibits the unlawful possession, use, manufacture or distribution of alcohol or drugs by students. Grinnell College further prohibits the manufacture of drugs including but not limited to narcotics, depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens, whether criminalized or not. Grinnell College will impose educational conduct outcomes on students who violate the alcohol and drug policy. While each case will be considered individually, the sanctions will be consistently enforced. These educational outcomes include, but may not be limited to: verbal warning, conduct warning, substance abuse evaluation, behavioral expectations, parental/guardian notification, hearing before a conduct hearing board, conduct probation, suspension, dismissal, community restitution fines, community service work and/or referral for prosecution. Student conduct action may appear on college transcripts.

Ideally, on-campus residences (including residence halls, language and project houses) at Grinnell are intended to be self-governing units subject only to broad parameters of all-campus social policies and regulations. Grinnell College imposes as few rules as possible on its students. As in any community, certain rules of behavior and conduct are necessary for the orderly operation of the community and the protection of individual rights of those who live in it. This is particularly true regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages and the use of illicit drugs.

Grinnell College opposes the illegal use and abuse of alcohol and drugs in the college environment. Because of the serious problems related to the misuse of alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs, and because this practice can lead to a loss of effectiveness in human life and can hinder the educational process, the College takes a position of serious concern about, and opposition to, the misuse of alcoholic beverages and use of illicit drugs in the college community. Therefore, the College urges all students to exercise mature judgment and social responsibility when making decisions regarding the use of alcohol or drugs.

An intrinsic principle of self-governance is the expectation that students look out for one another in situations involving alcohol and/or drugs. Among these expectations, the community insists that students get help for other students if a problem arises and expects students to prevent problems before they occur by using good judgment and common sense. In order for the concept of self-governance to be actualized, each student must make a commitment to the community in matters relating to alcohol and drugs.

Grinnell College Agreement for Distribution of Alcohol in the Residence Hall Lounges, College-Owned Houses, and the Harris Center

Key Points & Reminders

• Events with alcohol are not permitted on weeknights or weekdays, or when classes are not in session (i.e., during College breaks). Additionally, events with alcohol are not permitted until after the first full week of classes, nor during finals week any time after the last regular class is held.
• Event advertising may not include pictures or references to alcohol.
• Students may not purchase alcohol on campus (except for personal consumption at Lyle’s Pub) nor may fees be charged or collected for the distribution of alcohol on campus.
• Alcohol may only be legally possessed or consumed by students of Iowa Legal drinking age (21+) in student rooms in residence halls (excluding substance free residence halls) and College-owned houses, Lyle’s Pub, and, when authorized, in the Harris Center Concert Hall, in residence hall lounges (excluding substance free lounges), Gardner Lounge, public spaces in College-owned houses. Additional spaces may be authorized by the College.
• Roles of hosts, server, and wristbander must be filled by separate individuals. Additionally one person may not serve in multiple roles on the same day (i.e. A host may not also act as a server at the same event, nor may one person act as host for multiple events on the same day).
• Hosts and other event staff are expected to clean the venue by noon the following day. Any damages or extensive cleaning charges will be billed to the event host(s).
• As a result of a recent Student Initiative, hosts are now provided a portable recycling bin to use at their event, allowing waste to be recycled, rather than thrown away. Following the event, hosts are asked to clean the bins and sort the recyclables into the appropriate receptacles.
• Recycling bins, wristband envelopes along with any unused wristbands must be returned to JRC 310 the Monday following the event.
• Alleged violations of the College’s alcohol policy will be adjudicated as outlined in the Grinnell College Student Handbook.
• As a self-governing community, we expect each resident to be responsible for his/her/hir own behavior as well as that of invited guests, and must be expected to be held accountable for his/her/hir actions, even if intoxicated.
• Students who do not follow the requirements of acting as responsible event staff risk losing the ability to staff parties in the future.
• Event staff should be aware of Iowa State law regarding liability

Event Staff Required for Distribution of Alcohol

ALL student leaders (host, server, wristbander, and purchaser) must:

• Attend the entire event and be substance-free prior to and during the event.
• Take corrective action (e.g., remove student, inform ACE or Campus Safety and Security Staff) when an underage student has a wristband, or when an underage student possesses, consumes, or distributes alcohol.
• Ensure the safety of other students and the wellbeing of their community by denying the access of alcoholic beverages to individuals who appear to be intoxicated.
• Use common sense and good judgment at all times.
• Understand that failure to follow these guidelines may result in student conduct action.

Event host(s) – one of whom must be at least 21 years of age - must:

• Have a valid TIPS training certificate from an Event Hosting Workshop.
• Obtain permission to use the space requested.
• Work with fellow students to complete the attached Alcohol Agreement by Wednesday at 5:00pm prior to the event.
• Meet with RLC Becca Don to pick up wristbands by Friday at 4:00pm.
• Return all unused wristbands to RLC Becca Don by the following Monday at 5:00pm, or be billed.
• Provide $25 in attractive food and non-alcoholic beverages per keg, to be distributed throughout the evening.
• Confine alcohol to a designated area of the event space.
• Ensure the venue is cleaned by noon the following day.
• Take full responsibility for damages and vandalism resulting from student behavior associated with the event.

Server(s) must:

• Have a valid TIPS training certificate from an Event Hosting Workshop.
• Be at least 21 years of age.
• Serve alcohol only to students of legal age to possess, consume, or distribute alcohol in the state of Iowa. These students will be wearing wristbands given out by event wristbanders (see below). No other student can be served alcohol.
• Understand that they are liable for wrongful actions of persons under the age of 21 who are served alcohol, or any attendee, regardless of age, if they are over-served alcohol.

 Wristbander(s) must:

• Check identification of all students entering the event and only wristband students who are of legal age to possess, consume, or distribute alcohol in the state of Iowa.

 Purchaser(s) must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be liable for the wrongful actions of persons under the age of 21 who are served alcohol at the event as well as potentially be liable for wrongful actions of persons 21 or over who are served alcohol at the event.

Civil Laws and Sanctions Regarding Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol Laws - Iowa State Code states that it is unlawful for any person “to sell, give, or otherwise supply alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that person to be under legal age, and a person or persons under legal age shall not individually or jointly have alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer in their possession or control.” The law further states that “no person under legal age shall misrepresent the person’s age for the purpose of purchasing or attempting to purchase any alcoholic beverage, wine, or beer from any licensee or permittee.” Penalties range from a simple misdemeanor to a serious misdemeanor. In Iowa the legal drinking age is 21.

Drug Laws - Iowa State Code states that it is unlawful for any person not authorized by Chapter 124 of the state code “to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled—or counterfeit substance—or to act with, enter into a common scheme or design with, or conspire with one or more other persons to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.” Penalties range from a simple misdemeanor to a felony. For greater detail of these laws, see Chapters 123 and 124 of the Iowa State Code.

The federal law with respect to drug abuse prevention and control may be found in Title 21, Chapter 13, of the United States Code. A copy of the code is located in the reference section Burling Library. Reference librarians are available to help students locate the sections of the U.S. code.

Sanctions and Educational Outcomes for Violation of Alcohol and Drug Laws

A number of different penalties may be imposed by the magistrate or other representatives of the civil judicial system. Penalties include criminal charges, ranging from a simple misdemeanor to a felony. Sentencing may include one or more of the following: monetary fines, incarceration, and community service. Penalties may be different for persons under or over the age of 18 years old. Persons under 18 who violate drug and alcohol laws may be turned over to juvenile authorities or are dealt with through the court system. Persons over 18 are dealt with through the court system. Persons over 18 who are charged with the use or possession of illegal drugs are treated as adults. Fines, jail sentences, and community service are at the discretion of the magistrate or district court judge.

Campus Educational Outcomes - If there is evidence that a student is illegally using alcohol or drugs, or is abusing alcohol or drugs, a Student Affairs dean and/or a Campus Safety and Security staff member may bring student conduct charges against the student. If a student would like to bring charges against another student, she/he/zi may do so after consulting a Student Affairs staff member (inlcluding an RLC). All hearings are confidential and are held in closed session.

The hearing board presiding officer will forward its findings and sanction recommendations to the Vice-President for Student Affairs. If the Vice-President for Student Affairs has brought the charge, the recommendation is forwarded to the President of the College. While the Vice-President for Student Affairs or the President of the College may accept, reject, or modify the educational outcome recommendations, outcomes will be imposed on students who are found in violation of the college alcohol and drug policy.

Educational outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

• Requiring that the student seek advising from Student Affairs staff.
• Requiring that the student receive a substance abuse assessment and/or substance abuse education from a local agency.
• Requiring the completion of an appropriate rehabilitation program.
• Reprimanding the student.
• Recommending disciplinary action that may include conduct warning, conduct probation, deferred finding of responsibility, behavioral expectations, parental/guardian notification, residence hall suspension, residence hall dismissal, suspension, dismissal, community restitution fines, community service work, and/or referral for prosecution.
• Barred from hosting/serving/wristbanding/purchasing future parties.

If the student fails to complete or abide by any imposed outcomes, the hearing board or student conduct administrator reserves the right to take further action.

Health Risks

People who abuse alcohol or drugs risk damage to both their mental and physical health. The following is information taken from the Substance Abuse Identification Guide by Dr. W. R. Spence:

Substance Abuse Services

The Student Health and Counseling Services department may conduct substance abuse evaluations and follow-up outpatient treatment, or refer students to local providers for assessments. While College staff work together closely with students experiencing substance difficulties, students need to use health insurance or pay for required evaluations. Students will also need to pay for transportation to these services if they opt against using transportation provided by Student Health and Counseling Services. The following students may be required to undergo an evaluation and follow the recommendations of the evaluation:

• Students who are arrested on the violation of alcohol and/or drug laws.
• Students who are hospitalized for an alcohol or drug overdose.
• Students about whom concern is expressed regarding substance abuse or repeated poor choices regarding the use of alcohol and/or drugs.