Committee to review drinking at games

The university has not been cited or contacted by officials.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University President David C. Sweet has formed a committee to review a university policy that allows fans to drink alcohol in football stadium tailgate lots and loges.
Sweet appointed the 10-member committee Thursday, in part, to respond to an article in the student-run newspaper, the Jambar, that suggests the university is in violation of state law when allowing alcohol in tailgate lots. Co-chairing the committee are Cynthia Anderson, vice president for Student Affairs, and Ron Strollo, executive director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
In a memo to committee members, Sweet requests a review of the policy "as well as the more general issue of tailgating and its role in building fan support for the University and our various intercollegiate athletic programs."
Report requested
Sweet requested a preliminary report by Nov. 10, prior to YSU's last home football game on Nov. 15, when officials intend to have policy in full compliance with state law, said Ron Cole, YSU's manager of news and information services.
"Guests of the event may not bring alcoholic beverages to the event or take alcoholic beverages from the site of the event, except for private use in a Scholarship Loge or Tailgate Area," the policy reads.
"The policy strictly limits the use to only a few places on campus. Guests are allowed to bring alcohol to the lots for personal use," Cole said. "The Jambar story obviously brought to our attention that our policy may not be in line with state regulations."
Campus police patrol the area, and Cole said he is aware of no problems or complaints. The university has not been cited or contacted by the state, he added.
Open container
It is a violation of state law to have any open container of alcohol in a public area, said Rich Cologie, assistant agent in charge at the Ohio Investigative Unit of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
"If a place is open to the public and people can go in and out freely, you can't have an open container of beer in there without being cited," Cologie said. "It's no different than walking down the street with a beer."
An open container citation is a minor misdemeanor, he said, punishable by a maximum fine of $100.
There is a legal way to drink alcohol at tailgate parties, said Matt Mullins, a spokesman for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.
The state issues temporary beer and liquor permits to nonprofit organizations that wish to serve alcohol, he explained. Those permits require the group to sell beer and other liquor and to have their area fenced in and clearly defined.
Anyone serving in such an area is responsible for adhering to state law that prohibits selling to those younger than 21.