Service of Alcohol

This policy applies to all University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

There are three categories of events where the service of alcohol on the UNL campus may be allowed. They are:

1. private university events where attendees are not directly or indirectly charged for the alcohol served and the alcohol is brought on campus by the Event Sponsor, and the alcohol served is either purchased from a retailer at the retailer’s location or donated; 
2. university or non-university private events or public events where the alcohol is purchased from and served by an Approved Caterer, and 
3. an academic course or research in which the consumption of alcohol is part of the learning curriculum. 

These categories and related rules are more fully discussed below. All three categories of events require an application for UNL approval, as will be discussed, and Category #2 events also require a Special Designated License (“SDL”) issued by the municipality in which the event takes place.  

Exception: Category #2 events at locations that have a standing liquor license, including but not limited to the AKRS Nebraska Champions Club, NIC Conference Center, and/or Wick Alumni Center, not require an SDL. Further, such events at these venues shall not require an application for UNL approval when the Event Sponsor is an outside or non-university organization. University-sponsored events shall still require an application for UNL approval. 

In addition to this policy, any service or dispensing of alcohol on the UNL campus shall also comply with the Nebraska Liquor Control Act and any applicable local liquor ordinances. This includes, but is not limited to, a prohibition against any alcoholic beverage dispensed to or consumed by an individual under the age of 21, at any event covered by this policy. 

Category #1 Events 

Category #1 events shall be those private events where guests do not directly or indirectly pay for alcoholic beverages, food, or admission to the event and the alcohol is brought on campus by the Event Sponsor. The alcohol must be either purchased from a retailer at the retailer’s location or donated. Private events are defined as those events in which a pre-identified and pre-existing group of individuals are invited to a specific event, the event is not advertised, and the event is not accessible or open to the public. No individual may attend such an event unless specifically invited in advance, except for UNL or caterer’s employees working at the event. Category #1 events shall not include serving alcohol to students during scheduled classes or other experiences that are required as part of a degree program, whether or not all students are over the age of 21 (with the exception of courses that fall under Category #3). 

• For Category #1 events, any alcoholic beverage served must be provided by the Event Sponsor. The alcoholic beverages shall remain the property of the Event Sponsor and shall be removed from UNL property by the Event Sponsor immediately upon conclusion of the event. 
• Those persons responsible for ascertaining which guests may legally consume alcoholic beverages (e.g., checking IDs, overseeing alcohol service or entrance) and serving alcohol must be employees of an Approved Caterer, or in extraordinary circumstances when an employee of an Approved Caterer is not used, the department chair/head may be used if approved in advance by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted by any person while he or she is engaged in those duties related to ascertaining which guests may legally consume alcohol. 

Category #2 Events 

Category #2 events are those public events or private events that include the purchase of alcohol from an Approved Caterer regardless of whether the cost of alcoholic beverages is passed on to the guests in attendance.  Public events are events where there is no specified, identifiable guest list. 

• Category #2 events require a Special Designated License (SDL) that must be obtained by the Approved Caterer from the municipality in which the event is held. 
  • Exception: Category #2 events at locations that have a standing liquor license, including but not limited to the AKRS Nebraska Champions Club, NIC Conference Center, and/or Wick Alumni Center, do not require an SDL. 
• The Approved Caterer must provide all alcoholic beverages served in accordance with the SDL issued pursuant to the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, any regulations promulgated in relation to the Act, and any applicable ordinances of the municipality in which the event is held.  
• Service of the alcoholic beverages shall be provided only by an experienced bartender hired through an Approved Caterer. 
• Persons checking IDs or checking alcohol service, entry, or minor identification must be employees of the Approved Caterer and shall not consume alcohol while on duty. 
• Category #2 events that are outdoor on the day of any University of Nebraska – Lincoln home football game are limited locations that have a standing liquor license, including but not limited to the AKRS Nebraska Champions Club, NIC Conference Center, and/or Wick Alumni Center (City of Lincoln Municipal Code 5.04.064).  

Category #1 & #2 Event Guidelines 

• The approved UNL Alcohol Services Permit shall be prominently displayed where the alcohol is being served.
• Designated Locations: UNL has designated certain campus buildings for event rentals (see list of “Designated Facilities”). Campus departments are strongly encouraged to use only these approved venues. Locations used outside of this list must be approved by UNL Police, and an attachment must accompany the permit that includes the location address, a sketch of the licensed area, and maximum capacity. An alcohol permit may be issued in an academic building as long as no undergraduates or minors under the age of 21 will be in attendance, undergraduate classes are not session in the building or vicinity of the event, and the service of alcohol does not begin prior to 5 p.m. on weekdays when the guest list is primarily UNL employees. It is generally expected that alcohol service would begin at 5 p.m. or later for all events on weekdays. Any exceptions must be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance . 
• Non-alcoholic beverages and food service must also be provided. 
• 75% or more of the attendees must be over the age of 21, and effective methods for ascertaining which guests may legally consume alcoholic beverages must be implemented. 
• For events without a sit-down meal and with more than 150 attendees, the Approved Caterer and/or Event Sponsor shall provide one security person for every 150 attendees. Security personnel, whether paid or volunteer, shall have no duties other than maintaining order and enforcing all liquor laws and license conditions, including prohibiting minors and intoxicated attendees from consuming or possessing alcohol. All security personnel shall be dressed in distinctive clothing with visual markings identifying them as security personnel. This requirement may be waived or modified by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance by showing that such is not necessary for the promotion of health and safety. 
• Alcohol may only be served and consumed in the areas listed on the UNL Alcohol Services Permit. 
• Alcoholic drinks must be served in containers distinct from those in which non-alcoholic drinks are served. Non-alcoholic drinks must be served in transparent containers. 
• The number of attendees in the event venue may not exceed maximum occupancy, as determined by the Nebraska State Fire Marshall or Lincoln Fire Department. 
• All law enforcement officers with jurisdiction, including UNL Police, must be allowed access for inspection without restrictions to all areas listed in the UNL Alcohol Services Permit. 
• Alcoholic beverages may not be served before 12:00 noon or after 12:00 midnight on Monday through Friday. For Saturday events, alcoholic beverages may not be served before 10:00 a.m. or after 12:30 a.m. (the following Sunday morning). On home football game day Saturdays, alcoholic beverages may not be served more than three hours prior to kickoff, or after 12:30 a.m. (the following Sunday morning). For Sunday events, alcoholic beverages may not be served before 10:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. UNL’s hours of service may not exceed hours of service permitted by applicable law but may be more limited. 
• The Event Sponsor’s representative and the UNL Facility Administrator shall not consume alcohol while on duty and shall be in attendance for the duration of the event and the immediate post-cleanup period. 
• Outdoor events: Unless otherwise approved by UNL Police, outdoor events must be contained within a 6’ wall or chain link fence, a double row of plastic or wood snow fence materials, or an approved equivalent. The double row of fence materials shall be at least 4’ apart. Sufficient toilet facilities and garbage disposal must be identified for or provided at outdoor events. Event Sponsors are encouraged to work with UNL Police before submitting a UNL Alcohol Services Permit to ensure that the proposed event venue complies with the Nebraska Liquor Control Act and any local liquor laws. The requirements in this paragraph may be waived or modified by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, if in the discretion of the Vice Chancellor, the Event Sponsor has clearly demonstrated that the requirement is not necessary for the promotion of health and safety. 

Category # 3 Events 

Category #3 events shall be those where the evaluation of beverages, such as wine tasting, is an integral part of academic courses and research and where such activity has been approved by the responsible dean or director to be part of the curriculum for the courses or where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is part of a research project. 

Approval 

Faculty teaching courses or conducting research involving alcoholic beverage tasting must file a UNL Alcohol Services Permit four (4) weeks prior to each term in which the courses are offered or before the research project begins. The cost of alcoholic beverages consumed as part of an academic course shall be covered by a special course fee paid by the students and not from tuition or state appropriations. The student fee and associated expenses for the course must be retained in a unique UNL cost object within UNL’s accounting records. The cost of alcoholic beverages consumed as part of a research project must be paid for by the research project. In no event shall alcoholic beverages be served before 12:00 pm. or after 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or before 10:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on Saturday. 

Age Verification 

All students enrolled in the courses or participating in a research project must present identification (valid driver’s license or equivalent age verification which has a photo identification on the face of it) verifying they are at least 21 years of age by the sixth day of the term. The identifications must be copied and maintained with the course records or research project records. If students are participating in a UNL-sponsored class outside the State of Nebraska, the laws of the state or country where the student is present govern the legal drinking age and shall be enforced. Students must sign and submit a waiver and hold harmless agreement before they can participate in courses with an alcoholic beverage tasting component (Alcohol Student Waiver). The signed agreements must be maintained with course records. 

Serving Requirements 

• For designated courses, at least one lecture preceding the alcoholic beverage tasting session(s) will cover responsible consumption. 
• Actual service of the alcoholic beverages shall be provided only by the head or chair of the department offering the course, the full-time faculty member teaching the course, or an Approved Caterer. For research projects, actual service of the alcoholic beverages shall be provided only by the research project’s principal investigator, unless prior written permission by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance is obtained for alcoholic beverages to be served by others associated with the research project . 
• For each alcoholic beverage being evaluated, each student will be poured no more than a one-ounce sample. No more than four beverages (four samples) will be evaluated in a two-hour laboratory class, nor may any student participate in more than one class session in a 24-hour period. 
• Food and water must be available to students during the beverage tasting session(s) to mitigate the effects of consumption. 
• Alcoholic beverages that have been opened but not served must be properly disposed of immediately following the alcoholic beverage tasting laboratory or class (i.e., poured down the drain). Unopened alcoholic beverages must be stored in a locked cabinet in an office that is always locked. The location of this locked cabinet must be provided to UNL Police. 
• A monthly inventory of alcoholic beverages must be completed by the academic department with dual signatures of the department head and college dean. 

Food and Beverage Caterers 

Event sponsors (whether an individual or organization) of most Category #1 events and all Category #2 events shall select an “Approved Beverage Caterer” from a list of beverage caterers approved by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. Approved Beverage Caterers must have the necessary licensure from the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission and appropriate liability insurance, as determined by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. Approved Beverage Caterers must have no less than five years of experience in beverage catering and no confirmed violation(s) of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act or local liquor ordinances for the three years prior to UNL approval. Approved Caterers will be removed from the list and their eligibility to serve alcoholic beverages at UNL revoked, if UNL determines that they have engaged in any activity, on or off campus, which would constitute a violation of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act or local liquor ordinances. Approved Caterers must also demonstrate sufficient financial resources to serve as beverage caterers at the type of events held at UNL. Within the limits imposed herein, the process for inclusion on the list shall follow UNL procedures for contracting with outside vendors. 

Due to health safety concerns, in accordance with UNL’s Food & Beverage Service policy, all food served on campus must be furnished by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln contracted food caterer or from the list of approved food providers (maintained by Risk Management and the Nebraska Unions). Approved food providers must have a Lancaster County Health Certificate and appropriate liability insurance, as determined by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance.

To provide direction to the UNL community regarding when and where alcoholic beverages are allowed, pursuant to Board of Regents Policy 6.4.1. Dispensing Alcoholic Beverages on University Property. 

Obtaining a UNL Alcohol Services Permit and/or a Special Designated License 

The Event Sponsor of any of the three categories of events, regardless of where or in which UNL facility the event takes place, must first complete an Application for a UNL Alcohol Services Permit. 

UNL Alcohol Services Permit Process, Approving Officials, Permit Posting 

1. The UNL Alcohol Services Permit approval process begins with the Event Sponsor completing and signing the UNL Alcohol Services Permit.  The administrator directly responsible for the facility proposed as the event venue, or that administrator’s designee (“UNL Facility Administrator”), shall review the UNL Alcohol Services Permit to ensure that the proposed event is consistent with the policies of the Board of Regents, the UNL campus and the proposed event venue.  If the UNL Facility Administrator determines that the proposed event is in compliance, he or she shall sign the UNL Alcohol Services Permit. The signed form is then forwarded to the cognizant Dean/Director for review and approval or disapproval.  If the Dean/Director approves the event, the UNL Alcohol Services Permit is then forwarded to the cognizant Vice Chancellor, the Chancellor, or the Chancellor’s designee for review and may be approved if the reviewer determines the proposed event is consistent with all institutional policies relating to the service of alcohol.  
2. Finally, all UNL Alcohol Services Permits must be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. Should the UNL Alcohol Services Permit applicant be a line report to the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, then the Chancellor, or the Chancellor’s designee, must also approve the event.   
3. For Category #2 events, the Approved Caterer is responsible for obtaining the SDL from the municipality in which the event will be held. The approved UNL Alcohol Services Permit should be obtained prior to and included with the Approved Caterer’s SDL application for events within the City of Lincoln.   
4. The UNL Facility Administrator shall post the approved UNL Alcohol Services Permit at every event and verify that the Approved Caterer has publicly posted the SDL at each Category #2 event.  

Approval Timeline 

Category #1 Events - The final approval of the event must occur no later than one week prior to the time and date of the proposed event. 

Category #2 Events - Considering the time necessary to secure the required Special Designated License (SDL) from the municipal government, the UNL Alcohol Services Permit must be received by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance at least four (4) weeks prior to the scheduled event.  

Category #3 Events - Faculty teaching courses or conducting research involving alcoholic beverage tasting must complete the UNL Alcohol Services Permit and receive all required approvals no less than four (4) weeks prior to the start of each term in which the courses are offered or the beginning of the research project.

Category #1 Event: Private university events where attendees are not directly or indirectly charged for the alcohol served and the alcohol is brought on campus by the Event Sponsor and the alcohol served is either purchased from a retailer or donated. No individual may attend such an event unless specifically invited in advance, except for UNL or caterer’s employees working at the event. Those serving alcohol must be employees of an Approved Caterer, or in extraordinary circumstances when an employee of an Approved Caterer is not used, the department chair/head or designated professor if approved in advance by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. 

Category #2 Event: University or non-university private events or public events where the alcohol is purchased from and served by an Approved Caterer. 

Category #3 Event: An academic course or research in which the consumption of alcohol is part of the learning curriculum. 

Event Sponsor: The group or organization sponsoring and responsible for the coordination of the event. An authorized leadership representative of the Event Sponsor must be present at all times during the event and during the immediate post-event clean-up period, and not consume alcohol during the event. 

Facility Administrator: The authorized individual directly responsible for the facility proposed as the event venue, or that administrator’s designee, who will be present at all times during the event and during the immediate post-event clean-up period, and will not consume alcohol during the event. 

Special Designated License (SDL): A Special Designated License is a license for a special event whereby alcohol liquors will be sold. It can only be obtained by current retail liquor license holders and is issued by the municipality in which the event takes place.