Alcohol and Other Drugs

Approved by: Office of Student Affairs

History:  Updated August 2020 | August 2022                              

Related Policies:  Complaints and Grievances | Code of Conduct

Related Forms, Procedures and References: 

For Questions Contact:  Housing Website | Housing Office | 651.690.6778 | studentaffairs@stkate.edu

Index:   Alcohol in the Residence Halls | | Disciplinary Sanctions | Applicable Laws | Alcohol and Drug Use & Abuse

The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1989 - also known as the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act - requires institutions of higher education to establish policies that address unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs. The DFSCA also requires the establishment of a drug and alcohol prevention program.

Alcohol Policy

St. Catherine University prohibits the unlawful possession, use, production and distribution of alcohol.  This policy applies to all activities sponsored by the University whether on University-owned property and residences, or at other locations.  The University expects that students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University community conduct themselves in a responsible manner that demonstrates respect for others and the community at large.  As part of the larger community, St. Catherine is subject to and abides by federal, state, and local laws. The use of alcoholic beverages should not interfere with the academic goals and maintenance of a healthy environment campus community. 

St. Catherine University Alcohol Regulations: 

  • Use or possession (including serving, consuming, and being in the presence) of alcohol under the age of 21 is strictly prohibited. 

  • Alcohol containers, empty or not, are not allowed as decorations in rooms, unless all residents and guests are of legal age. Possession of empty alcohol containers may result in a documented policy violation

  • Students found with alcohol, on-campus, who are in violation of this policy will be required to pour out the alcohol in the presence of a staff member and may be subject to University disciplinary action

  • Students of legal age who use alcohol must do so in a way that does not compromise the rights and safety of others

  • Residents who are of age may be charged with an alcohol violation if their behavior (or guests’ behavior) of concern in relation to the consumption of alcohol negatively impacts the safety, learning environment, or general comfort of the community.

  • Residents will be held accountable for underage alcohol possession and/or consumption in their room, suite or apartment.  In cases where people under the age of 21 are present while alcohol is in plain sight or being consumed, the conduct hearing officer will assume those underage were consuming alcohol.

  • The use of alcohol may not: 

    • Disrupt the community standards of the residence hall environment

    • Create a potentially hazardous environment

    • Violate applicable federal and state laws, and local ordinances

  • The possession of open containers of alcohol and the consumption of alcohol are confined to student rooms, suites, and apartments.  Open containers of alcohol are prohibited outdoors and in common areas

  • Possessing, providing, or serving large quantities or “common source” quantities of alcohol (e.g. kegs, cases, coolers, party balls, fishbowls, beer bongs, boxes of wine, etc.) is prohibited. 

  • High-risk alcohol-related activities, such as progressives, drinking theme parties, drinking games, beer bongs, and similar behaviors are prohibited in rooms, suites and apartments.

St. Catherine University is committed to promoting healthy, safe, and responsible behaviors in a welcoming and inclusive campus community. St. Catherine University is committed to empowering all members of the university community to inform themselves about the impact that use of alcohol and illegal drugs has on both individuals and the community.

St. Catherine recognizes that alcohol and drug use can create health, safety, social, and legal problems. St. Catherine therefore is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy work and educational environment, free from the unlawful use of alcohol and drugs. St. Catherine also is committed to complying with the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (DFWA) and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 (DFSCA).

The DFSCA requires St. Catherine, as an institution of higher education, to certify that it has adopted and implemented a drug and alcohol policy as a condition of receiving federal funds. This policy, which will be made available to each student and employee, contains the following information:

  • standards of conduct that clearly prohibit the unlawful possession, use or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs by students and employees on St. Catherine property or as part of any of St. Catherine activities;
  • a clear statement of the disciplinary sanctions that St. Catherine will impose on students and employees who violate these standards of conduct;
  • a description of the applicable local, state, and federal legal sanctions pertaining to the unlawful possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol;
  • a description of health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the use of alcohol; and
  • a description of available drug and alcohol counseling and treatment resources.

This policy also contains requirements for complying with the DFWA. St. Catherine will conduct a biennial review of its alcohol and drug program to determine its effectiveness, implement needed changes and ensure that disciplinary sanctions are consistently enforced.

Guiding Principles

It is illegal in Minnesota for persons under the age of 21 to possess or consume alcohol. The unlawful or unauthorized possession, use, consumption, sale, or distribution of alcohol and/or illicit drugs by St. Catherine students and employees on St. Catherine property or as a part of St. Catherine activities is strictly prohibited. This policy applies to all full-time and part-time students and all full-time and part-time employees, including faculty, administration, exempt and nonexempt staff, union employees, contractors, and any student employees and interns.

Alcohol in the Residence Halls

In addition to the University-wide policies and procedures, the following guidelines protect the rights of all campus residents and promote responsible use of alcohol in campuses residences:

  • Possession, consumption, distribution, and/or being in the presence of alcohol under the age of 21 is prohibited.
  • Alcohol is not allowed in corridors or other public areas of the residence halls.  This includes on the grounds or in parking lots.
  • Alcohol containers, empty or not, are not allowed as decorations in rooms.
  • Possessing, providing, or serving large quantities or “common source” quantities of alcohol (e.g. kegs, party balls, beer bongs, punch bowls, boxes of wine, etc…), or creating or participating in drinking games is not permitted in the residence halls or apartment complexes.
  • Alcohol may not be stored or displayed in areas accessible to those under the age of 21.  This includes suite and apartment living rooms and kitchens where minors share this space.
  • Residents will be held accountable for the behavior of their guests in relation to their use of alcohol. Guests will be escorted out of the building if they fail to comply with the alcohol policy or if their behavior infringes on the rights of other students. 
  • Residents will be held accountable for underage alcohol possession and/or consumption in their room, suite or apartment.  In cases where people under the age of 21 are present while alcohol is in plain sight or being consumed, the conduct hearing officer will assume those underage were consuming alcohol.
  • Residents of legal age must keep the doors to their rooms closed at all times while using alcohol.
  • Residents who are of age may be charged with an alcohol violation if their behavior (or guests’ behavior) of concern in relation to the consumption of alcohol negatively impacts the safety, learning environment, or general comfort of the community.
  1. An Alcohol Request Form must be completed for all events where alcohol will be served. This form must be completed and returned at least 10 days prior to the event. Forms are available in the Student Affairs office.
  2. Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed in public areas, even on an individual basis, without prior registration of the event at which alcohol is being consumed. Public areas include lounges and hallways in residence halls and campus apartments, the cafeteria, the grill area, athletic fields and facilities, and all other academic and administrative buildings. Alcoholic beverages at outdoor programmed events will only be permitted at locations approved by the Office of Student Affairs.
  3. The event must have a directed purpose other than the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
  4. Programmed events at which alcoholic beverages will be served must have an approved theme to be used in advertising.
  5. A license from the city of St. Paul must be obtained for any event at which alcoholic beverages are sold or at which there is an admission charge and alcohol is being served (free or for a cost).
  6. Individuals sponsoring an event must implement procedures to ensure that alcoholic beverages are not accessible or served to persons under the legal drinking age or to people who appear intoxicated.
  7. All alcoholic beverages must be served. All servers (faculty, staff, and students) must be of legal drinking age.
  8. The amount and type of alcohol at student-sponsored events must be approved by the appropriate Student Affairs staff member. The amount and type of alcohol at faculty/staff-sponsored events will be monitored by the director of University Events.
  9. Nonalcoholic beverages and food must be provided whenever alcoholic beverages are being served. If the supply of nonalcoholic beverages or food runs out, the serving of alcoholic beverages will terminate. At all events the serving of alcoholic beverages must be terminated one-half hour before the event is scheduled to end.
  10. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) must be contacted at least two weeks prior to any student campus event where alcohol is to be served. If DPS determines that security officers (or off-duty police officers) need to be present at the event, the sponsors of the event will be responsible for those expenses.
  11. Bring-your-own-bottle events or events that include any form of drinking contest in their activities or promotion are not allowed.
  12. Any student event that is open to the campus community and/or the public must have a faculty or staff adviser present. Closed functions with alcohol must have a faculty or staff advisor present unless authorized by the Office of Student Affairs.
  13. Members of the St. Catherine community are responsible for the actions of their guests relating to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. This includes ensuring that guests abide by St. Catherine policies and accepting responsibility for guests' actions and behavior, whether the guest is attending a registered event or visiting a residence hall or campus apartment.
Violations of the Alcohol Policy at Events

Violations of this policy at events sponsored by university groups or contracted groups may result in one or more of the following:

  • People at the event may be asked to leave the event
  • The event sponsor may be asked to correct the infraction
  • The serving of alcohol may be terminated
  • The event may be terminated

Both the individuals involved and the sponsoring group will be held accountable. Student violations of this policy will be referred through the Student Code of Conduct process. Employee violations of this policy will be referred to the immediate supervisor and the director of human resources.

Disciplinary Sanctions

Students who violate this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to: a reprimand or warning, disciplinary probation, suspension, expulsion and/or referral to the proper law enforcement authorities for prosecution. Employees who violate this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to: counseling, mandatory participation in an appropriate rehabilitation program, a warning, probation, suspension, discharge, and/or referral to the proper law enforcement authorities for prosecution.

Applicable Laws

Introduction

The following is a brief overview of local, state and federal laws governing the possession, use and distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or definitive statement of various laws, but rather is designed to indicate types of conduct that are against the law and the range of legal sanctions that can be imposed for such conduct.

Examples include the following:

  • Selling illicit drugs is a criminal offense punishable by a fine or imprisonment, depending on the specific offense and factors such as prior convictions for similar offenses.
  • Driving while intoxicated is against the law and can result in driver's license revocation or even imprisonment in some cases.
  • Under Minnesota law, an individual under the age of 21 can be arrested and put in jail for purchasing or consuming alcohol.

Alcohol Laws

Local Laws

The city of St. Paul, like many other cities, has an ordinance prohibiting the consumption of, or possession of an open container containing an alcoholic beverage in any public place or on private property without the owner’s permission. In accordance with the ordinance, permission to possess or consume alcohol at any St. Catherine event must be specifically requested and granted in writing by an authorized official of the university. (See the Procedures for Alcohol Use at Events Sponsored by University Groups section contained in this policy.)

State Laws

Minnesota state law provides that it is a misdemeanor if a person under the age of 21 consumes alcohol, attempts to purchase alcohol, possesses alcohol with intent to consume it, enters a licensed establishment or municipal liquor store for the purpose of purchasing or being served alcohol or misrepresents her or his age. Misdemeanors are punishable by imprisonment for up to 90 days and/or a $700 fine. It is a gross misdemeanor to give or sell alcohol to a person under the age of 21 or to procure alcohol for an obviously intoxicated person. It also is a gross misdemeanor (punishable by imprisonment for up to 90 days and/or a $3,000 fine) to induce a person under the age of 21 to purchase alcohol or to knowingly permit a person under 21 to use one’s driver’s license or other identification for the purpose of procuring alcohol. Finally, selling alcohol to a person under the age of 21 who becomes intoxicated and causes death or serious bodily harm to herself/himself or another is a felony, punishable by imprisonment in excess of one year and/or a fine in excess of $3,000.

If an individual in Minnesota drives under the influence of drugs or alcohol, possible sentences include revocation of driving privileges, fines, imprisonment and participation in rehabilitation programs. If a person drives under the influence of alcohol and death or injury results, the intoxicated driver can be convicted of murder, manslaughter or battery.

Social Host Liability Act of 2000 (Minn. Stat. section 340A.90).

The statute states that should a situation arise where someone is injured or even killed because of a minor who had been served alcohol, victims and their families have a course for legal action against hosts, over the age of 21, who:

had control over the premises and, being in a reasonable position to prevent the consumption of alcoholic beverages by that person, knowingly and recklessly permitted that consumption and the consumption caused the intoxication of that person; or
sold, bartered, furnished or gave to, or purchased for a person under the age of 21 years alcoholic beverages that caused the intoxication of that person.

Drug Laws

State Laws

Minnesota law covers a wide range of drug offenses, including the sale or possession of various types of drugs. Penalties are harsher for sale than possession. 

Federal Laws

In addition to state laws, federal laws prohibit the manufacture, distribution, possession with intent to manufacture or distribute, and simple possession of certain drugs. The law sets the following sentences for first-time offenders:

  • A minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment and/or a $4 million fine for the knowing or intentional manufacture, sale or possession with intent to sell, of large amounts of any narcotic, including heroin, morphine or cocaine (which includes crack), or of phencyclidine (PCP) or of LSD, or of marijuana (1,000 kg or more);
  • Five to 40 years in prison and/or a $2 million fine for similar actions involving smaller amounts of any narcotic (including heroin or morphine), cocaine (which includes crack), PCP or LSD, or marijuana (100 kg or more);
  • A maximum of five years and/or a $250,000 fine for similar actions involving smaller amounts of marijuana (less than 50 kg), hashish, hashish oil, PCP or LSD, or any amounts of amphetamines, barbiturates and other controlled stimulants and depressants;
  • Four years in prison or a $30,000 fine (or both) for using the mail, telephone, radio or other public or private means of communication to commit acts that violate the laws against the manufacture, sale and possession of drugs;
  • One year or a $1,000 fine (or both) for possession of any controlled substance. (The gift of a small amount of marijuana is subject to the penalties for simple possession.) Penalties may be doubled, however, when a person at least 18 years old: (1) distributes a controlled substance to a person under 21 years of age (A term of imprisonment for this offense shall not be less than one year); or (2) distributes, possesses with the intent to distribute, or manufactures a controlled substance in or on, or within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school, or a public or private university. Any attempt or conspiracy to commit one of the above federal offenses, even if unsuccessful, is punishable by the same sentence as for that offense. In addition, persons convicted of possession or distribution of controlled substances may be ineligible for federal benefits for up to one year (in the case of conviction for possession) or up to five years (in the case of conviction for distribution). "Federal benefits" include grants, contracts and loans.

Health Risks

Drugs and alcohol are toxic to the human body and, if abused, can have catastrophic health consequences. Some drugs, such as crack, are so toxic that even one experimental use can be fatal. The following is a summary of the various health risks associated with alcohol abuse and the use of specific types of drugs. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete statement of all the possible health consequences of substance abuse.

Alcohol and Drug Use and Abuse

Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug in the United States. Alcohol consumption has acute effects on the body and causes a number of marked changes in behavior. Even low doses significantly impair the judgment and coordination required to drive a car safely, increasing the likelihood that the driver will be involved in an accident. Low to moderate doses of alcohol also increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts including risk-taking behavior. Moderate to high doses of alcohol cause marked impairments in higher mental functions, severely altering a person’s ability to learn and remember information. Very high doses cause respiratory depression and death. If combined with other depressants of the central nervous system, much lower doses of alcohol can be fatal. Use of Illicit Drugs interfere with the brain’s ability to take in, sort and synthesize information. They distort perception, which can lead users to harm themselves or others. Drug use also affects sensation and impairs memory. 

Drug and Alcohol Counseling

The Counseling Center (651) 690-6805; and the Health and Wellness Clinic (651) 690-6714 provide professional help and referral for students concerned about alcohol or drug use. Employees may voluntarily request assistance in dealing with drug or alcohol issues. The cost of treatment may be covered by health-insurance benefits. Other locally available sources for assistance and counseling include:

  • United Way 211 Hotline-(612) 291-0211. This 24 hour hotline provides information on counseling agencies, outpatient and inpatient treatment facilities for adolescents and adults, evaluation, referrals and education. You may also text your zip code to 898-211 (M-F 8am-7pm).
  • AA Greater Minneapolis Intergroup-(952) 922-0880. This is a referral number for AA groups in the Twin Cities.
  • Alanon Intergroup-(651) 771-2208. This is a referral number for Alanon groups in the Twin Cities.
  • Tubman Chrysalis-(612) 870-2426. Chrysalis is a center for women that has a chemical dependency relapse treatment program.
  • Hazelden Betty Ford St. Paul Campus-(866) 831-5700. The Hazelden Betty Ford Center is for chemical dependency services.
  • Fairview-University Medical Center- Recovery Services (612) 672-2736. This center has chemical dependency services.
  • •CLUES: Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio  651-379-4200.
  • Narcotics Anonymous-(612) 822-9472.Some national hotlines providing service:
  • Cocaine Helpline-(844)-289-0879.The Cocaine Helpline is a 24-hour information and referral service staffed by recovering cocaine-addict counselors.
  • NCADD Information Line-(800) NCA-CALL. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) provides referral services to families and individuals seeking help with an alcohol or other drug problem.
  • NIDA Hotline-(800) 662-HELP. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) provides a confidential information and referral line that directs callers to cocaine abuse treatment centers in the local community. Free materials on drug use also are distributed upon request.