Approved by President
Effective Date: August 31, 2018
Responsible Division:  Business and Finance
Responsible Office:  Business and Finance
Responsible Officer:  Vice President, Business and Finance

I. Purpose

 The sale, serving or consumption of alcoholic beverages at approved events is to be an amenity to well-planned and structured programs; it is not to be the indispensable and essential program element. This policy sets out the conditions and considerations under which alcohol may or may not be sold, served or consumed.

II.  Applicability

Consumption of alcohol on the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or University) campus is limited to approved events and areas designated by the President. The President is authorized to, and may from time to time, designate a place on property owned or controlled by the University where alcoholic beverages may be served.

Alcohol may only be sold by a third-party vendor at specified sports authority facilities during certain University-sanctioned  events.

This policy shall not be construed as prohibiting the use of alcoholic beverages in academic coursework where said beverages are not consumed but are used solely in the tasting process in a manner consistent with state law. T.C.A. § 57-4-109.

III. Definitions
A.  Designated Area. The specific area in which the consumption of alcoholic beverages has been approved. A sports authority facility is deemed a designated area.

B.  Sports authority facility. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 57-4-102(35), any facility that is designed and used for University-sanctioned public sporting events at which a third party vendor may sell alcohol. MTSU will allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at the following sports authority facilities:  Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium, Charles M. Murphy Center, Reese Smith Jr. Field, and the Softball Field.

IV.  Request to Serve Alcohol

This section applies to events at which alcohol will be served but not sold.

Organizers and sponsors of events where it is desired that alcoholic beverages will be served must submit an approved Application for Use of Facilities Form along with an Approval to Serve Alcohol on Campus Form to the President’s Office within two (2) weeks prior to the event.

V.  Sale of Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages may be sold and consumed at specified sports authority facilities during the following MTSU Division 1 games:  men’s and women’s basketball, football, baseball and softball. Request to Sell Alcohol forms are not required to be submitted for the sale of alcohol at those locations for those events. However, in order to sell alcoholic beverages at any other event held at a sports authority facility, a Request to Sell Alcohol form must be submitted, along with an approved Application for Use of Facilities form, to the President’s Office at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.

VI.  Conditions for the Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages

Designated areas where consumption of alcoholic beverages may be permitted shall not be in classrooms, labs, faculty or administrative offices, residence halls, student dining halls, or student gathering areas. Consumption of alcohol is not permitted at athletic facilities accessible to the public except as otherwise allowed pursuant to this policy.

The use or possession of alcoholic beverages by students is prohibited on property owned or controlled by the University. However, students of legal drinking age may consume alcohol at events at which consumption of alcohol has been approved pursuant to this policy.

Alcohol will not be permitted at any event where the event is marketed and promoted primarily to students.

The sale of alcoholic beverages  is prohibited, except as allowed pursuant to this policy. The third party vendor authorized to sell alcohol will be required to comply with all applicable state and local laws and a Provisions of Service document that will provide detail regarding alcohol sales at sports authority facilities.

No state funds or state accounts can be used to purchase alcoholic beverages except as equipment and supplies for approved academic programs.

The President may limit the length of the event, the amount of alcohol to be served, the nature of the event, and the number and age of the anticipated participants attending.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages must also be available concurrently with the serving or sale of alcoholic beverages at an event. Adequate proportions of these items will be considered as criteria for event approval.

The only alcoholic beverages that may be possessed or consumed at campus events are those alcoholic beverages that are served pursuant to an approved Request to Serve Alcohol form or made available for sale at the event. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages served or available for sale at an event must be consumed within the facility or area designated for the event.

When submitting the Approval to Serve Alcohol on Campus form, the sponsoring group is responsible for identifying an individual to be present at the event who will be responsible for ensuring that the event complies with this policy and all applicable state and local laws regarding the serving of alcohol.

The Approval to Serve Alcohol on Campus form may contain additional requirements or stipulations that the sponsoring group will be responsible for complying with.

Exceptions to this policy can be made at the discretion of the President.

Forms: 
Application for Use of Facilities
Approval to Serve Alcohol on Campus
Request to Sell Alcohol

Revisions: June 5, 2017 (original); August 31, 2018.

Last Reviewed: March 2022.

References: T.C.A. § 57-4-102(35)(C); T.C.A. § 57-4-109.