Alcohol is not allowed on South Dakota State’s campus, but the South Dakota Board of Regents is looking to possibly change that.

 

During their October meeting, the SDBOR announced the investigation of the possible sale of alcohol on campuses across the state.

 

An Alcohol Sales Task Force is currently inquiring about alcohol sales at state universities, but it is only a conversation held at the SDBOR level, according to Students’ Association Programming and Public Relations Chair Clarke Sanders.

 

The task force plans to present a report of its findings to the SDBOR in December. The report will include background information on how other states have worked with the sale of alcohol on campuses and the possible law and policy changes needed to continue.

 

If the board decides to proceed after the report is given, Janelle Toman, director of communications and chair of the Alcohol Sales Task Force, said after changing state laws and SDBOR policies to permit the sale of alcohol on campus she assumes “the policies would give the campuses some level of discretion that would make it work for them.”

 

One way in which institutions could work at their own discretion is to give presidents at each college the choice to dictate where alcohol could be sold, but Toman is not certain if that is the path the SDBOR will go if they decide to proceed in December.

 

One example of where alcohol sales could take place on campus mentioned during the SDBOR meeting was at athletic events such as football games. Toman also said there was a possibility for the sale of alcohol at other activities such as the performing arts events.

 

No official buildings have been considered yet in the discussion.