Event Registration Procedures

The Division of Student Life believes the registration of events by registered student organizations will promote the health, safety, and well-being of all members of our campus community. In planning and implementing events on and off campus, all organizations are required to follow University policies, including the University’s Alcohol Policy and the Student Code of Conduct. In order to promote responsible citizenship, all individuals and organizations must also abide by all federal, state, county, and city laws and any relevant inter/national organization alcohol/risk management policies.

Organizations are required to register any event with alcohol. This Event Registration Procedure will apply to all student organizations registered with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, except for sororities and fraternities registered with the Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life which must follow their specific event registration procedure.

An organization event shall be defined as any event consisting of prospective, new, active, recently active, and alumni members (or some combination thereof) that a reasonable observer would associate with the organization, was sponsored, financed, or endorsed by the organization, or required advanced planning on behalf of the organization. Organizations are responsible for reasonable and prudent management and control of all aspects of the event at all times, including the behavior of individual members and guests.

Any organization event at which alcohol is present must meet these requirements and follow the expectations outlined in this document. All event registration documents submitted by organizations are reviewed by the appropriate department office within the Division of Student Life. Organizations will be contacted with any questions or concerns about the event.

The university, for health and safety reasons, may limit the number of approved registered events allowed to take place at one time. In instances where multiple events are registered, and the university deems it necessary to limit the number of registered events for a given time, approval of events meeting all requirements under these procedures will be considered in the order in which they were registered. In order to reduce the likelihood that an event is denied, organizations should register events at the earliest possible date.

The university reserves the right to shut down a registered approved event, based on information available at the time, including information that the event is being conducted in a manner inconsistent with the event registration guidelines and/or if a safety or security concern reasonably exists. If the event is found to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the event registration and approval, the organization (and possibly individual members) will be referred to the appropriate Student Life department office and/or Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS).

A. General Requirements for Events with Alcohol

Events will only be considered for approval if the organization is current with the following:

The organization is registered on VOLink.
The organization has submitted all required documents to the appropriate Student Life department office.
The organization is in good standing with the Office of the Bursar and the Student Organization Business Office.
The organization is in compliance with any disciplinary sanctions issued by Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS) and is eligible to host the event at issue.

A final guest list must be submitted through VOLink at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the event. Only members and guests on the final guest list shall be granted entry to the event.

All event registration forms are reviewed by the appropriate Student Life department office, and the organization will be contacted with any questions or concerns about the event.

Organizations are responsible for reasonable and prudent management and control of all aspects of the event at all times, including the behavior of individual members and guests.

B. Registration Process for Events with Alcohol

All events with alcohol, regardless of location, must comply with the requirements below:

Events must be registered at least fourteen (14) calendar days in advance of the event; however, organizations are encouraged to electronically submit an event registration form and meet with the appropriate Student Life department office at the earliest possible date.
Organizations must have finalized event location details no later than seven (7) calendar days prior to the start of their event.
Organizations are not allowed to purchase alcohol with organization funds; however, organizations are allowed to pay for the labor costs associated with an approved third-party vendor with organization funds.

Sober monitors must be stationed throughout the event to ensure event management procedures are followed. Sober monitors must be members in good standing of the organization, and have completed Sober Monitoring Training, which can be completed at https://tiny.utk.edu/rsosober. Sober monitors must be identified in the event registration form. Sober monitors must be sober upon their arrival at the event and may not consume alcohol and/or other drugs throughout the duration of the event.
If the event is co-hosted by more than one organization, members of each participating organization must serve as sober monitors. The ratio from each organization should be based upon the number of attendees who are members or guests of that organization.
The ratios of sober monitors to attendees must be at least 1:15.
The event must have only one entrance. A printed copy of the guest list must be provided at the entrance of the event. A sober monitor must verify the identity of guests and confirm their information is included on the guest list.
All individuals entering the event must present a valid photo ID. The photo ID shall be used to verify the entrant’s name and date of birth. Upon verification of identity, a wristband shall be placed on the entrant’s wrist if age 21 or above.
An organization may not host more than two (2) events with alcohol on a given day. An event cannot last any longer than a four (4) hour time period and there must be four (4) hours between the end of one event and the beginning of another. The sale or distribution of alcohol must cease thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled conclusion of the event. Exceptions may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Vice Chancellor or Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life.
No common source alcohol is permitted. Common source is any bulk quantity, common container, or freely available alcoholic beverage (e.g., beer, wine, liquor, or punch) that is made available for consumption. Possessing, furnishing, consuming, or serving from a common source of alcohol is strictly prohibited. A common source shall not include “cash bars” operated by a licensed third-party vendor that comply with these guidelines.
Alcohol is not permitted to be consumed or possessed anywhere other than the space designated for hosting the event.
Activities or paraphernalia that encourage the rapid and/or excessive consumption of alcohol, including, but not limited to, drinking games (beer pong, flip cup, etc.), ice luges, and drinking funnels, are inconsistent with healthy and responsible use of alcohol and are therefore prohibited.

On-Campus Events:

In addition to the above requirements, all events with alcohol that are held on campus must also comply with the following requirements:

Any alcohol over 15% alcohol by volume is prohibited.

Alcohol may only be sold and served by a university-approved third-party vendor (bar, restaurant, caterer, or similar operation). The third-party vendor must be properly licensed by the appropriate local and state authorities and be licensed to sell on the premises where the function is to be held.
A University-approved third-party security vendor must be on site at least one (1) hour before the event begins, remain present throughout the duration of the event, and stay for one (1) hour after the event concludes. Approved security vendors must be properly licensed and possess all appropriate governmental permits and licenses. A minimum of two (2) security officers are required for any event, and an additional two (2) security officers are required for every 100 attendees.
The security vendor is responsible for maintaining safety at the event, ensuring attendees remain in the designated area, monitoring noise levels, and ensuring the event ends on time.

BYOB Events:

A BYOB (“Bring Your Own Beverage”) Event may be held, provided that the organization complies with all of the requirements that apply to events with alcohol and the following additional requirements:

Off-Campus BYOB Events:

Members and guests who are of the legal drinking age of twenty-one (21) are permitted to bring alcohol to an event. The per person maximum alcohol permitted is six (6) twelve (12) ounce cans or plastic bottles of beer, wine coolers, or malt beverages or one (1) bottle of wine, not to exceed 750 ml. Beverages above 15% alcohol by volume are not permitted.
All alcohol must be checked in to a designated distribution area upon entry into the event. The designated distribution area must be in a common area on the first floor of the premises.
Sober monitors who are members in good standing of the organization and at least twenty-one (21) years old or licensed third-party vendor bartenders must staff the designated distribution area. Sober monitors or licensed third-party vendor bartenders are not permitted to serve anyone who is obviously intoxicated, even if the person has alcohol remaining.
Organizations must use an accountability system, such as punch cards, tags, tickets, or wristbands to monitor the distribution of alcohol back to the individuals who brought it to the event.
Only one alcoholic beverage may be acquired at a time.
No out-of-town or overnight events can be BYOB events.
In addition to University approval, all BYOB events will require an acknowledgment from the organization advisor.

On-Campus BYOB Events:

Up to four (4) BYOB (“Bring Your Own Beverage”) Events may be held on-campus per semester, provided that the organization complies with all of the requirements that apply to events with alcohol and BYOB events along with the following additional requirements:

University-approved licensed third-party vendor bartenders must staff the designated distribution area. Licensed third-party vendor bartenders are not permitted to serve anyone who is obviously intoxicated, even if the person has alcohol remaining.
A third-party security vendor approved by the university must be present at the event at least one (1) hour prior to the event and one (1) hour after the event concludes. Approved security vendors must be properly licensed and possess all appropriate governmental permits and licenses. A minimum of two (2) security officers are required for any on-campus BYOB event, and an additional two (2) security officers are required for every 100 attendees.
Security officers must be stationed at every entrance/main access point of the facility in which the event is being hosted.
The security vendor is responsible for maintaining safety at the event, ensuring attendees remain in the designated area, monitoring noise levels, and ensuring the event ends on time.
An organization that hosts an event that does not meet the aforementioned requirements will no longer be eligible to host an On-Campus BYOB Event for the duration of the academic term.

Game Day Events:

A “Game Day Event” is any event with alcohol hosted by a registered student organization on the day of a UT home football game. A Game Day Event may occur only four (4) hours prior to the start of a game and must end thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of a game.

At the discretion of the Vice Chancellor or Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life, exemptions to this procedure may be requested in writing at least 14 days prior to the event.

How to Register an Event with Alcohol:

Reminder- Sober Monitors must complete training and receive a completion certificate prior to event submission. Training for general organizations can be found at https://tiny.utk.edu/rsosober. Training for organizations supported by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life can be found at https://studentlife.utk.edu/gogreek/programs/sobermonitor/ .

The ratio of sober monitors to attendees must be at least 1:15.

Registered student organizations planning an event where alcohol will be present must submit the appropriate registration form at least 14 business days before the event.

All organizations should visit their organization page via VOLink. Click “Manage Organization”, click “Events”, and “Create Event” to being the event submission process.

These processes differ based on your organization type, so be sure to follow the instructions that align with your registration status. For questions or additional guidance, contact mailto:[email protected].