Students will now need to provide identification and wear a wrist band to consume alcohol in the university-sanctioned tailgating area Fitzerland, Dean of Students Todd Adams announced in an email Friday evening.
In addition to showing identification to consume alcohol, students entering Fitzerland must present a valid college ID. The student tailgate debuted this fall without such restrictions.
Anna Kottenstette, Associated Student Government student life vice president, said the change was prompted when an intoxicated prospective student was transported to the hospital from Fitzerland before the Oct. 19 football game against Minnesota.
The Communication senior said the transported student drank too much off campus before arriving at Fitzerland. She called the University’s response “reasonable.”
“We’re having to deal with those repercussions,” she said. “It was really unfortunate that it happened at all.”
Wildside president Gram Bowsher said the policy change is “not the ideal situation.” He emphasized the most noticeable differences will be at the gate, where students will be asked for their school IDs and proof of age if they are carrying alcohol or planning to drink alcohol inside the tailgate. He said NU employees have been trained to check IDs at the gate.
“We do want students to know it’s not making things different from what they were,” the SESP junior said. “The tailgate should look very similar.”
— Cat Zakrzewski