Last Friday the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) voted to make a substantive change to the school’s alcohol policy. The rewritten guidelines, which come as a reaction to the months of legal difficulty with the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) of California, will allow for "bring-your-own-beer" parties on campus.

"We had to do something right away...we also have to do something without trashing the social life on campus," said Chair of the SAC and Professor of Mathematics Ami Radunskaya. "This is a way of still allowing people to have alcohol at parties without breaking the law."

Rewriting the policy is one matter, but implementation poses unknown difficulties. According to Radunskaya, no other college on the west coast currently allows students to supply their own beer and wine at school functions.

"We’re trying to look at other models, but there’s still some areas where we are breaking new ground," explained Assistant Director of the Campus Center Dave Swenson. According to Swenson, the school plans to deal with the logistics of the new policy as problems arise.

Swenson says the new system will work something like a coat check: students who are 21 and over can bring up to 72 ounces, the equivalent of a six-pack of beer to campus parties. They are then given some sort of ticket, which they bring back to the "beer closet" to receive their beverages one serving at a time.

Students who do not finish all their beer inside of the party will not be allowed to pick it up till the following morning. Wine and glass containers will not permitted. Administrators have yet to devise a solution to this paradox.

Radunskaya emphasized that the new policy is still in its formative phase. "If people wanted to get together to buy a keg and bring that, then that would be something we have to take a look at," acknowledged Radunskaya. "And right now there is no provision for wine."

"The positive part of it is that people who don’t drink can now attend parties where alcohol is present without being charged," explained Radunskaya. She added that the new policy also frees up the college to pay for the remainder of the expenses associated with large parties.

Swenson has contacted schools on the east coast such as Dickinson, Davidson, and Rippon Colleges. Most schools contacted have reported that the program works well, but most of the problems administrators will face are unforeseen. "[Large parties] will require a monumental effort," mused Gerard "We’ve never done it, but we feel like we’re up to the challenge.

"If it works well we certainly will consider keeping it in place. As we get more time and talk to other colleagues, we can get some more viable options and possibly make some changes for next fall," stated Gerard.

"Keep in mind that we’re trying this out and there should be some feed-back. However, I’m optimistic that it will work out," said Radunskaya at the end of an interview Wednesday. She feels that it will function well temporarily, and may prove valuable in the long term.

For now, the new policy is seen by most as an interim solution designed to temporarily circumvent the restrictions being enforced by the ABC. Some administrators hope that the school can revert to its previous policy, and are simply waiting for the ABC to change its current philosophy on liquor sales on college campuses.

Recently Pomona’s lawyer sent a legal statement to the ABC which outlined the school’s perception of California liquor licensing code. "Our lawyer created a brief which matched our perception of the rule, and this argument was rejected by the ABC based more on the spirit of the law then the letter," stated Swenson.

"[Their rejection] had to do with this perception of the problem of underage drinking, drinking and driving, and alcohol-related deaths on campus," added Gerard. "[The ABC] believes their charge is protecting public welfare. In that regard they worry about the best interest of the people of California."

Gerard said that ABC officials could not cite a specific portion of California code which forbids licensing to caterers that will in turn serve at undergraduate parties. Hestaed that he thinks their rejection of Pomona’s stance is most likely the result of the current ABC administration’s perceptions of the dangers of campus liquor sales.