The LSU Dean of Students Office will host a town hall meeting in the Capital Chambers of the LSU Student Union today at 4:30 p.m. to discuss possible changes to the University’s tailgating policies. A second town hall will be held Wednesday at the same time and in the same location.
After posting a survey on studentvoice.com, the proposal offers suggestions to change Policy Statement 78, the Student Organization handbook and the LSU Fan Guide before the start of the Fall 2016 football season.
The new guidelines suggest registering all student organization tailgates prior to gameday and locations will be allotted on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Students will also be restricted to setting up between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. the previous day, and the tailgating area will be reopened at 8 gameday morning, which would prevent organizations from staying at the tailgate all night.
In the introduction to the studentvoice survey, Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin wrote that gameday traditions have evolved in recent years “ creating an environment of excessive consumption of alcohol and student safety risks.”
The proposal offers three options for “possessing and consuming” alcohol during a tailgate.
Option 1 will continue the alcohol policy under PM 78, which requires each student organization to utilize a third-party vendor for drinks. Tailgates currently do not operate under this system. Option 2 will establish a third party vendor approved by the University for a communal bar area adjacent to the Parade Ground.
The third option exempts student organizations from the use of third-party vendors and institute a “BYOB” policy. Under this option, 21-year-old students would be allowed to bring a predetermined amount of alcohol for his own personal consumption, rather than a large amount to be distributed among the student group.
The proposal also suggests that all students receiving football tickets would be required to complete a module on “tailgating expectations” and pass with at least 90 percent to receive tickets.
The survey introduction said the proposed changes came after community members expressed concern over student safety and the dangers of tailgating. To address the concerns, an Ad Hoc Student Tailgating Committee was formed to compare the University’s practices with other SEC schools.
