SEMP Procedure Frequently Asked Questions

1. In terms of kegs, how early can you have them in before a party and how soon do they need to be out of the house, as long as they are registered and untapped?

For a closed event, you can get a keg any time the day of the event, PROVIDED THAT you have already notified S&S of the event
If an S&S officer sees you bringing in a keg, they will check for a notification and if it is only one keg and you’ve already notified, there’s no problem
The rule still remains that all kegs must be returned by 6pm the day after the event

2. What clearance do you need to play pong outside? I know that you need an alcohol exemption to drink at all outside, but do you need a separate one to play pong?

In order to play pong outside, you need an exemption granted by Office of Greek Letter Organizations and Societies or the Collis Center for Student Involvement; this, however, will virtually never be granted; it’s college policy that you’re not allowed to play pong outside
The rule is that no tables are allowed to be outside; even water pong makes it difficult for S&S officers to distinguish

3. Should an issue come before the OAC, will organizations be judged on their compliance with their own Internal Social Events Management Procedure?

If college policy is infringed upon, it will most likely go to OAC
In this case, it is reasonable that they can ask to see your internal procedures and judge if you were following them in addition to discussing your violation of college policy
For now, however, each instance will be dealt with on a case by case basis

4. If an organization notifies and gets a keg for a closed event, what are the restrictions placed on other types of alcohol that may be in the house, and vice versa (ex, for *storage*)?

Students over 21 are allowed to keep personal supplies of alcohol in their rooms, though this must not be distributed to guests during the event
In terms of storage, as mentioned before, a keg is allowed to be stored in the house any time the day of the event (as long as you have already notified) and until 6pm the day after the event
For anything else besides kegs, they may be stored in the house, as long as they remained unopened and in a secure location monitored by members of the house; they are not allowed to be brought out until the event becomes members only or there are less than 40 people

5. If an organization is notified and attendance at their event exceeds 80 people AFTER their source of alcohol (keg, etc) has been depleted, or should safety and security arrive after alcohol is no longer served, is that organization compliant?

If there is absolutely no alcohol present (i.e. there are no open alcoholic beverages in any common space), then it is not an event considered under SEMP policies and there should be no problem
However, if there is still alcohol present, the number of people must quickly be brought under 40; S&S can be called to help reduce the number if needed

6. We leave our door open during closed events, and there is not always a person on door. Barring any obvious danger that would provoke a S&S officer to give aid (for example, seeing a sick person, or some act of violence), would there be some chance that the officer would come into the house?

The definition of a "closed" event is one that is not open to the entire campus, but is limited to a select group; therefore, it is important to have some way of monitoring and controlling who enters and exits your house
S&S officers must have some reason to enter a house, but it can be for a small reason, such as a noise complaint, question about events related to your house, etc.
In addition, for issues of theft and security, it is advisable to either lock your door or have some defined way of monitoring who comes and goes

7. When does a notification change to a notification on the fly?

A closed event can be notified to S&S until 3pm on the day of the event
Any notification after this point will be considered a notification on the fly

8. What if I register an open event and then decide to change it to a closed event?

If you make the change several days before the event is to occur, this is not a problem
However, if the change is made on the day of the event, S&S will most likely know about the switch and be watching closely to make sure that it doesn’t turn into an open even and that all the SEMP procedures for a closed event are followed

9. How early do exceptions for parties have to be made?

They must be made early enough to allow for approval before the event is registered or notified
For a weekend event, the deadline for making a request for an exception is 5pm on the Tuesday prior

10. What if I want to advertise that alcohol will be at a party?

The SEMP policies state that alcohol cannot be the focus of an advertising poster
While a mention of alcohol or kegs can be made, it must be secondary to the general theme or purpose of the party
Use your best judgment