Party Planning Guide

Campus Resources
Community Resources
Hosting Hints
Managing Your Risk
The University's Philosophy and Policy
Immediate Care for an Intoxicated Person
Driving Under the Influence

Acknowledgements: Basic information taken from publications of the University of Georgia, the University of South Carolina, and Vanderbilt University. Special thanks to The BACCHUS & GAMMA Peer Education Network for the recipes in this guide.

Campus Resources

• Alcohol & Other Drugs Education - Located in the Sarratt Student Center, the Office provides educational programs, supports alcohol-free social programs, and serves as a resource for the University community on alcohol, other drugs, and related issues. (343-4740)
• CHAMPS/Life Skills Program - Based in the Athletic Department, this program provides support and education for student athletes. (343-4937)
• CHEERS (Collegians Helping Encourage Education for Responsible Socializing) - This student organization plans and implements a month-long alcohol awareness campaign each October and presents Safe Spring Break Week each spring.
• GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) - A student organization composed of representatives and individual members of fraternities and sororities, GAMMA promotes low-risk choices concerning the use of alcohol and the non-use of illegal and harmful drugs.
• Police and Security - A resource for assistance with campus emergencies and safety information. (Emergencies 421-1911; Safe Trips Escort Service 421-8888)
• Psychological and Counseling Center - The Center provides individual and group counseling and support groups for the Vanderbilt community. (322-2571)
• Residential and Judicial Affairs - Resident Advisers and Assistant Directors can provide a source of support, guidance, and information. (322-2591)
• University Chaplain and Affiliated Ministries - A network of Vanderbilt-affiliated ministers and other professional staff provide support and counseling. (322-2457)
• Zerfoss Student Health Center - A resource providing treatment for illness or injury in the student community, preventive medicine, and health education. A licensed counselor in alcohol and drug treatment is available for individual assessments and counseling. (322-2427)
• Vanderbilt Addiction Clinic - Outpatient substance abuse, depression, and detoxification programs. (343-4752)
• VITA (Vanderbilt Institute for the Treatment of Addiction) - Outpatient and inpatient detoxification, continuing patient care, and treatment. (327-7000)
• VUMC Emergency Room - (322-3391)
• Wellness Resource Center - A source of information on health and wellness issues including alcohol and other drug use, this Center is staffed by students and is located in the Campus Recreation Center. (343-6073)

Community Resources

• AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) - A 12-step program for those who have a desire to stop drinking. Regular meetings are held in the campus vicinity and at other locations in the community. (831-1050; www.nashvilleaa.org)
• Al-Anon - A 12-step program to help family members and friends of addicted individuals. (385-4404)
• Bradford Health Services - Inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults and adolescents. Free initial alcohol and drug assessments. (902-9191)
• Cumberland Heights Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center - Detoxification services, inpatient, intensive, and outpatient treatment, as well as day treatment for adults and adolescents. (352-1757)
• Nashville Prevention Partnership - A staffed coalition to mobilize the community to prevent substance abuse and related violence. (297-7635)
• Tennessee Clearinghouse for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Information and Referral - State repository and dissemination center for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug information and literature. (532-3579)

Hosting Hints

1. Always serve food when serving alcohol. High protein foods such as cheese and meats are especially good. They stay in the stomach longer, which slows down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed.
2. If you serve an alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base such as fruit juice. The body absorbs alcohol faster when it is mixed with carbonation.
3. Always measure alcoholic beverages. It is difficult for a person to know how much he or she has consumed if the drinks aren't measured. Standard measures for one serving are 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1 ounce of liquor not exceeding 100 proof.
4. Serve non-alcoholic beverages. It is possible that some of your guests won't want to drink alcohol.
5. Stop serving alcohol about two hours before the party is over.
6. If you observe a guest who is drinking too much
   • Engage him or her in a conversation to slow down the rate of drinking
   • Offer food
   • Offer to make the next drink non-alcoholic
7. Provide some form of transportation for guests. Even though they may seem okay to drive, using designated drivers, cabs, or group busing is better than wondering if your friends made it home.

Managing Your Risk

Definitions and Statistics

• Risk - The potential of suffering harm or loss (mental, physical, or social)
• Liability - The state of being legally obligated or responsible
• Risk Management - The act, manner, or practice of reducing risk

The mere presence of alcohol greatly increases the possibility of some type of harm occurring. The following national statistics are frightening:

• 95% of all violent crime on campus is alcohol related
• 90% of all reported campus rapes occur when alcohol is being used by the victim, the assailant, or both
• 80% of all campus vandalism is alcohol related

In order to minimize liability, student organizations need to manage their exposure to risk.

• Risk Avoidance - Eliminate the problem or risk
• Risk Transference - Transfer the risk through contractual arrangements, disclaimers, waivers or insurance
• Reduction Control - Control the frequency and/or severity of the problem or incident in question

Although you cannot entirely avoid risk, you can make reasonable efforts through proper planning to greatly reduce or transfer to someone else the risk you and your organization assume concerning social functions with alcohol.

For student organizations there are two types of risks to consider, and both are important. One obvious issue is that of the legal liability of your organization and of its individual members. Either or both can be named in a lawsuit. The second and most important issue is providing a safe environment for members and guests attending your social function. You have a legal and ethical duty to care!

Some organizations may have liability insurance. It is important to note that many policies have a disclaimer stating that if the insured organization is participating in anything illegal, including serving alcohol to underage persons, the insurance will not cover the claim. It is very important to set parameters around underage use. Make sure that your organization does not promote, condone, or otherwise allow underage use, and make this stance a visible one.

Steps to reduce your risk

• Consider hosting an alcohol-free function.
• If you choose to have alcohol present at your event, read and follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook, as well as the suggestions made during the TIPS Workshop.
• If your event is off-campus, consider transferring some of the risk by hiring someone else to sell and serve alcoholic beverages, such as a hotel or restaurant.
• If the function is in a private residence, consider "BYO" (see Policy in Brief and BYO Functions, below), and follow the suggested guidelines
• Document training, party plans, party promotion, and education of planning committee and membership, and how you carried out the plans, in a file or notebook. With careful planning, this documentation should only collect dust, but if you need it, it will be available to you.

The University's Philosophy and Policy

The University expects all students to comply with federal, state, and local laws relating to alcoholic beverages, narcotics, and other drugs. Vanderbilt University prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students, faculty, and staff on its property or as part of any University-sponsored activities. This prohibition extends to off-campus activities that are officially sponsored by Vanderbilt.

Policy in Brief

• Intoxication is prohibited.
• No student seeking medical attention for inebriation or overdose shall be formally disciplined for the simple illegal use or possession or alcohol or other drugs.
• Alcohol may not be used as an award or trophy.
• Encouraging excessive and/or harmful consumption of alcohol through games, peer pressure, subterfuge, or other activities is prohibited.
• Unlawful provision, distribution, or sale of alcohol or other drugs by a student (or group or organization) is prohibited.
• The rooms and apartments of students, fraternity and sorority houses, and the Overcup Oak Pub are the only places on campus where students of legal drinking age may routinely possess and consume alcoholic beverages.
• For special events, a place may be designated as one where the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons age 21 or over is permitted. Such occasions must be registered, approved, and advertised five days in advance as alcohol events.
• Common containers of alcohol (such as kegs, punch bowls, party balls, grain alcohol, funnels, and beer bongs) and drinking games are prohibited on campus or at any event sponsored by a student organization off-campus.
• Any time alcoholic beverages are served or permitted, alternative beverages and food must be served during the entire function.
• For an event to be "BYO," a majority of the hosts and hostesses must be of legal age to drink alcoholic beverages.
• Student organizations which provide alcohol to those not of legal age, whether through direct purchase or other group activities, will be placed on probation for one calendar year, with no parties with alcohol permitted for a period of six months.

Please consult the current Student Handbook for the complete policy on alcohol and controlled substances.

Beverage Amounts
At all events where alcoholic beverages are consumed, provision should be made for the free and conspicuous distribution of non-alcoholic beverages in adequate supply. An "adequate supply" is a quantity sufficient to provide at least one beverage serving per hour for all members and guests who are under the age of 21.

BYO Functions
Given that the human body is able to process only approximately one standard drink per hour, limit the amount someone can bring to no more than six (6) 12-ounce cans of beer or four (4) 12-ounce wine coolers or comparable pre-packaged alcoholic beverages. Persons may bring a maximum of one-half pint of distilled spirits (not exceeding 100 proof) or one 750-ml bottle of wine into an event.

Immediate Care for an Intoxicated Person

General Advice

1. Keep calm, and take a deep breath. Don't let your concern transfer to the person in distress.
2. Assess the situation. Look at the problem clearly, and decide how serious it is before taking action. Expect the unexpected.
3. Be aware of the main dangers.
4. Do not administer any food, drink, or medication to an intoxicated person. Introducing anything into the system might induce vomiting and result in choking.
5. Do not allow an intoxicated person to "sleep it off." Just because a person isn't drinking anymore doesn't mean he or she is okay. Stay with an intoxicated person so you can monitor his or her breathing and to ensure the person doesn't roll onto his or her back which could cause the person to aspirate (breathe in) vomit.
6. Keep the person still. Any abrupt or unnecessary movement might cause the intoxicated person to fall or faint, with injury resulting.
7. Get immediate medical help for anyone who is unconscious or has respiratory problems. Call 911 or 1-1911 on campus.

Call for Security and Medical Help

• When the person is unconscious or stuporous
• When the person has difficulty breathing (If breathing stops, it may be necessary for a person certified in CPR to administer artificial respiration until help arrives.)
• When you are in doubt about what to do

Security Can Also Help

• When the person is too unruly to handle
• When you need transportation to health facilities
• When the person refuses assistance and may cause harm to self or others, particularly if the person gets behind the wheel of a car

Keep Emergency Numbers Posted!
When You Call for Help:

1. Identify yourself.
2. State that you have a problem with someone who has been drinking excessively.
3. Give your specific location.

Do

1. Keep your distance. Before approaching or touching the intoxicated person, explain what you intend to do.
2. Keep the person still and comfortable.
3. Speak in a clear, firm, reassuring manner.
4. Stay with a person who is vomiting. If the person is lying down, make sure that he or she is lying on his or her side, not on his or her back. Make sure the person's head is to the side to keep the person from choking on or aspirating vomit.
5. Monitor the person's breathing.

Don't

1. Don't try to walk, run, or exercise the person; don't try to keep the person awake; above all, don't permit the person to drive.
2. Don't administer anything orally - food, liquid, or drug - to "sober the person up." Time is the only thing that will help to sober a person.
3. Don't give the person a cold shower, the shock may cause him or her to pass out, with injury resulting.
4. Don't attempt to constrain the person without (sober) assistance.
5. Don't laugh, ridicule, provoke, anger, argue, or threaten.

Driving Under the Influence

Under Tennessee law, drivers are presumed to be under the influence of alcohol if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .10% or more. Subsequent offenses require only .08% or more to be presumed under the influence. Additionally, an individual may be charged with DUI if he or she lends a vehicle to a driver who is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

First DUI Offense

• Jail sentence of 48 hours (minimum) up to 11 months and 29 days (maximum)
• Fine of $350 up to $1,500, plus court costs, attorney fees, increased insurance rates, etc.
• Loss of driving privilege for one year
• Attendance at an alcohol safety school, restitution to DUI victim, and possible community service work

Second DUI Offense (within 10 years)

• Jail sentence of 45 days (minimum) up to 11 months and 29 days (maximum)
• Fine of $600 up to $3,500, plus court costs, attorney fees, increased insurance rates, etc.
• Loss of driving privilege for two years (no restricted license)
• Attendance at an alcohol safety school, restitution to DUI victim, and possible community service work

Persons Under Age 21
A person between 16 and 21 may not drive or be in control of a motor vehicle while the alcohol concentration in the person's blood is more than .02%.

Open Container
Tennessee law states that no driver shall consume any alcoholic beverage or possess an open container of alcoholic beverage while operating a vehicle in this state. Any alcohol not in the possession of a passenger is assumed to belong to the driver. Additionally, localities may pass laws prohibiting passenger possession. To be safe, it is best not to have open containers anywhere in the vehicle.

For more information:
Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Prevention Programs
Station B 1508
Nashville TN 37235
(615) 343-4740
FAX (615) 343-3702

Resources

TN Laws

Vanderbilt University Policy

Alcohol Registration Form

Party Planning Guide

Physiological Effects of Alcohol & Other Drugs

Effects of Date Rape Drugs

Self-Assessment Tools

Academic Links for Class Papers & Projects

Web Links

GAMMA

CHEERS

Tell Your Story

Recovering? Non-drinker? DUI arrest? Lost someone to drinking? Share your story here.