Grand Valley State University values inquiry, inclusive and equitable community, innovation, integrity, and international perspectives. The university promotes a student life experience that enhances these values by focusing on students’ personal growth, academic achievement, diverse community involvement, and development of lifelong friendships. 

Paramount to the student life experience is the health, safety, and well-being of all community members. We believe that the misuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs prevents our community members from realizing their full potential as citizens and exemplifying the values of both their inter/national organization and the institution. 

We believe strongly in the power of a positive student experience to enhance students’ holistic development and support their success. Seeking to promote a healthy university community and positive student life experience, we uphold the following philosophy on alcohol and other drugs: 

• We expect our students to follow federal, state, and local laws regarding alcohol and other drugs. 
• To address the negative behaviors associated with the misuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, the University collaborates with organization leaders, as well as inter/national organizations. 
• Through education, training and advising, the University provides our students with the tools to make good choices and to understand the consequences of their choices. 
• The University holds organizations and individual students accountable for the choices they make. 
• We expect our students to take responsibility for their actions and inactions. 
• We empower our students to self-govern and hold their peers accountable for choices that fail to exemplify our shared expectations. 
• We expect all members of our community to demonstrate a concern for the health, safety, and well-being of others. 

This Statement was composed and approved in Winter 2019 by Fraternity and Sorority Life Task Force representatives from the following: Greek Life Board, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, Multicultural Greek Council, Black Greek Council, Student Senate, Alcohol and Other Drug Campus Education Services, Division of Inclusion and Equity, Dean of Students Office, Alumni Relations, History Department (faculty representative), Young Alumni Board, chapter advisor representative, an unaffiliated graduate student, and an ex officio staff member from the Office of Student Life/ Fraternity and Sorority Life.

The Student Code applies to functions, activities, or events hosted by Registered Student Organizations, on or off campus. 

• This policy applies in any situation sponsored or endorsed by a Registered Student Organization at Grand Valley State University, including those occurring on or off campus. If the inter/national organization of a fraternity or sorority at Grand Valley State University has policies that are more restrictive than this policy, the organization must comply with the more restrictive policy.
• The organization, its members, and guests must comply with all federal, state, and local laws. 
• No person under the legal drinking age may possess, consume, provide, or be provided alcohol. 
• The organization, its members, and guests must follow federal, state, and local laws on the illegal use of drugs and other controlled substances, including marijuana. No person may possess, use, provide, distribute, sell, or manufacture illegal drugs, other controlled substances, or drug-related paraphernalia. 
• Alcohol may only be present if (a) provided and sold on a per-drink basis by a licensed and insured third-party vendor or (b) brought by individual members and guests (i.e. BYOB). 
• Common sources of alcohol, including bulk quantities (e.g. kegs, cases of beer, “handles” and fifths of liquor, etc.), are prohibited unless provided and used by a licensed and insured third-party vendor to sell alcohol on a per-drink basis. 
• Alcohol may not be purchased with organizational funds or funds pooled by members or guests (e.g. admission fees, cover charges, funds collected through digital apps, etc.). 
• The organization may not co-host, co-sponsor, or in any way participate in an event or activity with a registered student organization (RSO) or other entity (e.g. athletics team, club sports team, organization not affiliated with the university, etc.) that purchases or provides alcohol. 
• The organization may not co-host or cosponsor with a bar, event promoter, or alcohol distributor; however, a chapter may rent a restaurant, bar, or other licensed and insured third-party vendor to host a chapter event. 
• Attendance by non-members must be by invitation only at any event where alcohol is present, and the organization must utilize a guest list. 
• Alcohol may not be present if the event or activity relates to the new member joining process (e.g. recruitment, rush, intake, etc.). 
• Alcohol may not be present if the event or activity relates to new members or their initiation into the organization (e.g. new member meetings, rituals, “bid night,” “Big/Little” events or activities, “family” events or activities, new member presentations, etc.). 
• The organization, its members, and guests may not permit, encourage, coerce, glorify, or participate in activities involving the rapid consumption of alcohol, such as drinking games (e.g. beer bongs or funnels, taking shots). 
• All alcohol-related events must be registered with the Office of Student Life at least seven days before the event takes place (Appendix C).

All recognized fraternities and sororities are required to register events with alcohol to the Office of Student Life. Grand Valley State University sets forth a set of procedures and requirements to ensure the safety and well-being of the fraternity and sorority community, as well as all members of the campus community.

Grand Valley State University recommends that recognized organizations consider the following questions, created by Holmes Murphy, when determining if an activity or an event is sponsored or endorsed by their respective organization. 

Determining if the Event with Alcohol is on organization premises: 

1. Is the event being hosted in your organization’s property or a university-provided meeting space? 
   1. If so, every event you host there is considered an organization event. 
2. Is the event being hosted in an on or off campus location where you traditionally hold your events? 
   1. If so, events you host there would probably be considered an organization event. 

Determining if an Event with Alcohol is an “Event” of “Activity” of the organization: 

1. Is the event being hosted or planned by one or more members of the organization and supported by the Executive Board? 
2. Is the event financed by the organization and/or being hosted on organization property? 
3. Is the event being hosted or planned by one or more members and supported by members/associate/new members? 
4. Does the Executive Board have prior knowledge of the event? 
5. Is the event listed or advertised on the organization website or social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)? 
6. Do online invitations refer to the organization (e.g. Facebook events)? 
7. Is the event listed on an organization calendar (public or private)? 
8. Will the event be announced or discussed at an organization meeting? 
9. Will members of the Executive Board be in attendance? 
10. Will the event be marketed/communicated in an organization group message? 
11. Are members attempting to rename the event to give the appearance that it isn’t associated with the organization? 
12. If guests were stopped on their way to the event, would they say that they were going to your organization’s event? 
13. Is the event actively or passively endorsed by a majority of the active organization? 
14. Have members of the organization lied about the event? 

Answering yes to any of these questions could mean that the event is associated with your organization and should be registered with the Office of Student Life. If you are still unsure if your organization would be responsible for an Event with Alcohol, you should contact the Office of Student Life.

It is the responsibility of the organization and its members to be aware of when an activity shifts from not being an organizational event to being an organizational event. When an event evolves in this way, the organization is expected to cease all consumption and possession of alcohol and notify the Office of Student Life. It is highly recommended that organizations exercise caution and register all events that could potentially be perceived as an organizational function. The Office of Student Life and the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution ultimately retain the authority for determining if an event should be registered.
 

Grand Valley State University Fraternity & Sorority Life observes the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Alcohol & Drug Guidelines for Events with Alcohol, and all groups must adhere to the following:

1. The chapter/organization, members, and guests must comply with all federal, state, provincial and local laws. No person under the legal drinking age may possess, consume, provide, or be provided alcoholic beverages.
2. The chapter/organization, members and guests must follow the federal law 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 chapter/organizational premises or at any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the chapter/organization.
3. Alcoholic beverages must either be:
   1. Provided and sold on a per-drink basis by a licensed and insured third-party vendor (e.g., restaurant, bar, caterer, etc.); or
   2. Brought by individual members and guests through a bring your own beverage (“BYOB”) system. The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (“ABV”) is prohibited on any chapter/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 chapter/organizational funds or funds pooled by members or guests (e.g., admission fees, cover fees, collecting funds through digital apps, etc.).
6. A chapter/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.
7. A chapter/organization must not co-host or co-sponsor an event with a bar, event promoter or alcohol distributor; however, a chapter/organization may rent a bar, restaurant, or other licensed and insured third-party vendor to host a chapter/organization event.
8. Attendance by non-members at any event where alcohol is present must be by invitation only, and the chapter/organization must utilize a guest list system. Attendance at events with alcohol is limited to a 3:1 maximum guest-to-member ratio and must not exceed local fire or building code capacity of the chapter/organizational premises or host venue.
9. Any event or activity related to the new member joining process (e.g., recruitment, intake, rush, etc.) must be substance free. No alcohol or drugs may be present if the event or activity is related to new member activities, meetings, or initiation into an organization, including but not limited to “bid night,” “big/little” events or activities, “family” events or activities and any ritual or ceremony.
10. The chapter/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.

Grand Valley State University Fraternity & Sorority Life also observes the following requirements as industry standard best practices:

1. Sober monitors – for every 15 attendees, the host organization(s) is required to identify one sober monitor, and in scenarios where the number of attendees is not a multiple of 15, the organization must round up to the appropriate number of sober monitors (e.g. 108 attendees would require 8 sober monitors, because 108/15 = 7.2).
2. Event promotion – promotion of events where alcohol will be present must be reviewed by the Office of Student Life, and under no circumstance should advertisement of an event describe or illustrate alcoholic beverages or encourage/promote the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Hosting Events with Alcohol requires extensive planning to ensure the health and safety of all attendees and the campus community. Organizations must be aware of the following:

1. Registration Required: All Events with Alcohol must be registered and reviewed by the Office of Student Life. Failure to register events/hosting unregistered events will lead to a referral to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.[1] Events must be submitted at least 14 days prior to the event taking place. If an event is submitted less than 14 days in advance, it will not be reviewed under any circumstance.
2. Event Review Notification: Organizations will receive notification regarding the status of their event registration within 72 hours of submission. Ultimately, the Office of Student Life reserves the right to deny registration requests based on the policies and procedures outlined in the Events with Alcohol Policy. A meeting may be requested by the Office of Student Life with the organization prior to final event review on a case-by-case basis. The Office of Student Life will notify the organization with one of the following statuses:
   1. Reviewed with no recommendations;
   2. Conditionally reviewed, requiring modifications to meet registration requirements; or
   3. Failure to meet registration requirements

To host a registered Event with Alcohol organizations must submit the following information to the Office of Student Life for review. The Office of Student Life reserves the right to determine the best method for collecting this information (e.g. physical form, online form, emailed attachment):

1. Events with Alcohol Policy Acknowledgement: All organizations looking to host Events with Alcohol must have an Events with Alcohol Policy Acknowledgement on file, signed by the Organization President, the officer responsible for Risk Management, the officer responsible for Social Events, and the Organization’s Advisor. This does not need to be submitted, as it is kept on file by the Office of Student Life.
2. Guest Lists: When registering an Event with Alcohol, organizations must submit a preliminary guest list, including the full names and birthdates of the attendees, including members of the organization and guests.
   1. There may be no more than three guests per member of the organization, and the organization must indicate which member is responsible for the guest in attendance.
   2. Entrance into an Event with Alcohol must be limited to those on the preliminary guest list. The organization may make minor changes to the preliminary guest list, however, it should remain substantially unchanged from the reviewed submission.
   3. The Guest List must indicate the sober monitors for the event – if the event is being hosted by more than one organization, there must be an equitable number of sober monitors per organization.
   4. Within 72 hours of the Event with Alcohol, the organization must submit a post-event guest list, which must include each guest’s arrival and departure time, as well as their signature.
3. Event Description: Organizations must submit a pre-summary of the event, describing the activities taking place at the event. Organizations should consider the following while drafting their Event Description:
   1. Are times and locations specified?
   2. What is the theme of the event? Is that being properly portrayed to the guests attending?
   3. What features will be present at the event?
   4. What will be occurring at the event? (Dance Floor, Photo Booth, Dinner, Superlatives, etc.)
   5. Are you creating shirts, marketing, or advertising for the event? If so, please attach drafts of advertising materials for review.
4. Organization Risk Management Plan: All organizations must have a Risk Management Plan/Security Plan for their Events with Alcohol. This includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Identifying the individual responsible for contacting authorities if necessary;
   2. identifying the individual responsible for taking control of a crisis;
   3. identifying the individual responsible for contacting the Office of Student Life in the event of an emergency; and
   4. identifying the individual responsible for contacting the Organization Advisor and Inter/National Headquarters, if applicable.
5. Event Management Plan: The organization must indicate the following:
   1. Who will be responsible for providing security services at the event? How many individuals will be providing security services?
   2. Who will be responsible for monitoring the guest list?
   3. Who will be responsible for checking attendee identification?
6. Transportation Plan: If the event is happening off-campus, the organization must outline the following:
   1. How will attendees be transported to and from the venue?
      1. Uber, Lyft, Public Transportation (Laker Line, the Rapid), Third Party Transportation (contracted by the organization)
   2. How are you ensuring that all members and guests are safe during transportation?
   3. Any additional information that you believe is important for the Office of Student Life to know about transportation plans.
7. Food and Beverage: Events with Alcohol are required to provide both food and non-alcoholic beverage items to attendees. Organizations must indicate the items that will be available to all attendees.
8. Advisor Acknowledgement: The organization’s advisor must acknowledge and approve the event for the registration process to be completed.

Fraternities and sororities, along with their individual members, are responsible for the conduct of their members, guests, and attendees for the duration of the event, and in some cases, for their behavior after the event. All violations of these requirements will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution in accordance with STU 5.2.27 (Violation of any University Policy). Organizations with pending allegations of violating STU 5.2.27 may receive interim accountability measures from the Office of Student Life, including, but not limited to, suspension of Events with Alcohol registration and educational requirements.

Additionally, organizations are required to notify the Office of Student Life regarding the receipt of citations for violations of any applicable local, state, or federal laws. Any requests, visits, or citations from law enforcement agencies must be reported to the Office of Student Life immediately via phone call.