UW-Milwaukee’s Alcohol Policy: Facilities You Never Knew You Can Drink In

When you think of a place on campus where you could grab a beer or two and hang out with friends, you will probably think of the Gasthaus before anywhere else. However, what most students don’t know is that the Gasthaus is actually one of 20 UWM facilities approved for alcohol service.

You wouldn’t think any of the facilities that are approved would involve alcohol consumption of any kind. Among the more unusual of these are the Golda Meier Library, Zilber School of Public Health, School of Freshwater Sciences, Helen Zelazo Center for Performing Arts, American Geographic Society Collection Room, Greene Hall, and Chapman Hall.

Additionally, all dorms (Sandburg, Cambridge, RiverView, Kenilworth, and Purin) are all approved for alcohol service. Other facilities approved include the Alumni House, Cozzens and Cudahy Research Center, the Edith S. Hefter Conference Center, Fine Arts Gallery, Global Water Center, and Innovation Campus. With the exception of the dorms, library, Zelazo Center, American Geographic Society Collection Room, Greene Hall, and Chapman Hall, most of these facilities are located off-campus.

One may wonder who makes these rules and why anyone would be drinking in any of those places. UWM Dean of Students Dr. Tim Gordon says most of these designated facilities are approved for alcohol service because they serve as public rental spaces.

“Those buildings are often rented out for receptions, conferences and meetings,” Gordon said. “Most of those events include a cash bar, so patrons are legally permitted to drink on those occasions.”

The UWM chancellor and the associate vice chancellor of student affairs are the ones responsible for designating these facilities for alcohol service. If one of these facilities is to be rented out by the public, it goes through the chancellor. He is also the only one that has the power to make exceptions to these policies.

If a special event is happening in a facility not listed above that involves alcohol service, either a dean or division head must approve of it and inform the chancellor at least a week in advance about the authorization.

“It doesn’t mean that anyone can just drink there whenever they please,” Gordon said. “In order for alcohol to be present, they must make arrangements ahead of time.”

When alcohol is available for purchase at these events, age eligibility checking is required in order to be compliant with the state law. Non-alcohol beverages must also be available when alcohol is served, and providers must deny service to anyone that appears to be drinking in excess. The event staff is held accountable for ensuring responsible alcohol consumption.

While the Gasthaus may be a fun environment for students to drink in, a restaurant on campus that serves alcohol does not come without its restrictions.

“We specially train employees so that they do not over-serve alcohol to students,” Gordon said. “Alcohol is not allowed to leave the Gasthaus under any circumstances.”

UWM Restaurant Operations is responsible for all alcohol sales in campus facilities, except for those at the Hefter Center and at the Zelazo Center. The School of Continuing Education and Peck School of the Arts food and beverage contractors handle those sales, respectively.

UWM’s alcohol policy prohibits student organizations from using their funding on alcohol unless they are given special permission by the school’s administration. If a student group violates this policy, they are investigated, sanctioned accordingly, and are allowed an appeal.

Approximately 74 percent of UWM students drink alcohol regularly, according to the 2015 National College Health Assessment. In 2014, the Annual Security Report counted 455 liquor violations total made on campus, 441 of which were in the dorms.

Alcohol use in the dorms is permitted for residents 21 and over. However, allowing this could potentially be a catalyst for the prevalence of drinking violations, especially when residents of age live with residents that are underage, according to Sandburg security coordinator John Christensen.

“This concern becomes significantly minimized in Kenilworth,” Christensen said. “Since students must be either in junior standing, senior standing, or 22 years of age in order to be a resident there.”

So, no, this does not mean you can pop open a beer in the middle of the library on any given day and the administration will be okay with it. However, on the right occasion, you can.