NIC may OK alcohol at events

A proposal to allow alcohol to be served on the North Idaho College campus during special occasions will be presented tonight at the college’s Board of Trustees meeting.

The proposal would allow nonprofit, civic and charitable organizations holding events on campus to apply for an alcohol permit from the college at least two weeks prior to the event. They could qualify only if food is being served at the event. The college president would have to approve the permit.

Two trustees asked the college last March to reconsider its policy prohibiting alcohol under any circumstances. Trustee Christie Wood said she’d like to relax the policy to allow weekend activities like the symphony to serve alcohol and to encourage more groups to hold events on the NIC campus.

Wood, a sergeant with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, said that would give community members more opportunities to enjoy the campus and lessen the demand for other venues in the area.

“It seems like a win-win for everybody,” she said.

The board is not scheduled to make a final decision on the policy tonight, but it could vote on whether to continue discussion.

Though Wood and trustee Mic Armon have expressed interest in a policy change, former President Michael Burke opposed the move, and other trustees have expressed concerns.

But Wood said the proposed policy is “pretty restrictive.”

“In no way are you going to see a tailgate party down there at NIC,” she said. “We aren’t interested in hosting alcohol-related, college-type parties, and the students didn’t ask for that.”

The NIC student government surveyed about 500 students last year on their views on alcohol on campus and what problems it could pose. About 45 percent responded that alcohol should be allowed on campus, while the other 55 percent was split between supporting the ban and being unsure.

Ryan Robinson, NIC’s student body president, said the student government would like to see the policy include groups other than just nonprofits and civic organizations.

“This fiscal year the community supported 27 percent of our budget,” Robinson said. “With that much of the community giving to NIC, we think it would be fair to have it open to everyone.”

Robinson plans to speak about that at tonight’s meeting. He also plans to ask that the proposed policy be changed to allow alcohol at events where food isn’t served.

“This isn’t the first reading, so hopefully there’s room for growth with this policy,” Robinson said.