After more than three years of being in effect, Ashland University Vice President of Student Affairs Sue Heimann doesn’t foresee the alcohol policy changing any time soon.

Recommended by the student senate in December 2008, the current alcohol policy is constantly under review.

The policy is in effect to “prevent the illicit use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol by students and employees.”

The current resolution was passed and approved in January 2009.

From 1989 until Fall 2009, Ashland University was considered a dry campus. With the construction of the senior apartments, this policy was slightly altered and now allows alcoholic beverages in the apartments.

Among these recommendations are that only beer and wine may be consumed, and may only be consumed when every person present in the room is 21 years of age or older.

Before being placed in effect, the policy had to go through a yearlong evaluation.

Following the evaluation, the resolution had to be passed through the student affairs support, the cabinet and the board of trustees.

“It all happened so quickly…all within a month. The student senate did their homework,” Heimann said.

According to Heimann, the current policy is a privilege and if violated, the students will be forced to move from the apartments.

Other guidelines with the alcohol policy state that each student twenty-one or older must go through “social host training” to teach the students what is and is not acceptable in the apartments.

Safety Services and Resident Assistants also make rounds through the apartments to ensure positive behavior is being displayed.

Students are not permitted to drink or leave open containers in public or on balconies, lounges, or laundry rooms.

Drinking games are also prohibited. Heimann said that a new alcohol policy is presented approximately every four to five years.

“I would expect a resolution to be presented probably next year,” Heimann said.

Heimann said that there is currently talk of changing the visitation hours policy, but at this time, not the alcohol policy.

Students are able to find the alcohol policy in depth on the AU website in the student handbook.