Alcohol at Saint Xavier University has always been banned in dormatories and that does not seem to be changing anytime soon.
The following Chicago area schools have an open alcohol policy in their on-campus housing: Northwestern University, Loyola University, the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology. An open policy means that residents may drink alcohol in their on-campus residence, usually with a closed door if they are 21 years old. But those under 21 years of age cannot engage in the drinking and cannot be in the same room.
Even though a school may have an open alcohol policy, it may have certain restrictions that are exclusive to that particular school.
For example, according to DePaul University’s Residence Handbook, students that are 21 may consume alcohol if they are in a residence hall that permit alcohol, but alcohol bottles must be closed at all times and students may not keep those bottles for decoration. The University of Illinois at Chicago prohibits any form of drinking contests.
There are other schools that altogether prohibit the consumption of alcohol in their residence halls similar to Saint Xavier University’s policy. Benedictine University, Olivet Nazarene University, North Park University and Chicago State University all prohibit alcohol.
At Saint Xavier University the current alcohol policy prohibits everyone, regardless of whether they are permitted to consume alcohol according to state law, from drinking or possessing alcohol. Alcohol may only be consumed at Gilhooley’s Grande Saloon and, if provided, at university-sponsored events.
Still there is a third approach that many universities use as their alcohol policy. The following universities have certain residences that are alcohol-free and others that have an open alcohol policy: Roosevelt University, Lewis University, Columbia College and DePaul University.
This hybrid model usually has the alcohol-free underclassmen dorms because those residents are usually not of legal drinking age anyway, but as upperclassmen the residents have the choice of dorms with an open or closed alcohol policy.
When asked if Saint Xavier University’ alcohol policy would be changing anytime soon, Saint Xavier University’s Vice President of Student Affairs, John Pelrine, said, “Probably not”.
Lewis University has a hybrid alcohol policy and has recently gone as far as serving its student with alcohol. According to The Flyer, Lewis University’s student run newspaper, Lewis University’s dining venue, the Den, made “beer and wine available from 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.. with the purchase of food, to those who are 21 years of age or older” which began March 14. This experimental program is intended to enhance the social environment at Lewis University on the weekends and will last until the end of the semester then the university will evaluate its results.
Pelrine said a similar program was probably not coming to Saint Xavier University and mentioned the possibility of students depleting their meal plan funds with alcohol purchases. Students have trouble managing their meal plan money even now. That logic may contribute to students currently being unable to use their meal plan money at Gilhooley’s Grande Saloon.
David Rodriguez
News Editor