Gov. Haley Barbour has approved a bill that prohibits the consumption of alcohol on all public university campuses in Mississippi. Senate Bill 2370 states, “no alcoholic beverage shall be sold or consumed at any public school or college campus.”University officials have not been able to clarify the exact terms of the bill.
Vice president for student affairs Bill Kibler said the law further spells out the current alcohol laws in Oktibbeha County.
“The new law prohibits alcohol at athletic events,” he said. “That would mean that it would clearly prohibit alcohol inside the football or baseball stadiums.”
Kibler said the ban will affect left-field lounge and will not affect the Junction tailgating area.
However, Oktibbeha County Sheriff Dolph Bryan said the law does apply to the Junction.
“There are old alcohol laws on the books but those laws are unclear,” Bryan said. “Basically, this bill clears it up. There will be no alcohol on the MSU campus.”
The bill also gives the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department the authority to work with the MSU Police Department to enforce alcohol laws on campus.
Senator Tommy Robertson proposed the bill in order to clarify existing alcohol laws that unclearly state who has official jurisdiction over the enforcement of alcohol-related laws.
Bryan said the Sheriff’s department will not be assisting MSU Police with enforcement unless help is needed.
MSU Police officials were not able to comment on how they plan to enforce the ban on alcohol, but Bryan speculates that courtesy officers will patrol the Junction during football season to enforce the new laws.
Bryan said the Junction will probably be under a close watch during football season.
“I would imagine that officers would walk around in the Junction and remind anyone who is drinking of the alcohol laws,” Bryan said. “If the officer had to remind someone several times than that person would most likely be arrested.”
Kibler said flyers have been and will continue to be distributed at baseball games to inform members of the MSU community of the new law.
“We want to make sure that everyone is aware of the prohibition of alcohol inside the baseball stadium,” he said. “After fair notice has been given, we will enforce the prohibition during the baseball events.”
MSU Police officials were not able to comment on how they plan to enforce the ban on alcohol.
Several MSU students, including senior agribusiness major Will Harding, said they are opposed to the campus alcohol ban.
“It is only going to reduce activity on game days and take a lot of life out of the campus,” he said. “It is going to ruin the experience for students, faculty [and] alumni.”
The new law will go into effect after July 1.
Bryan said the Sheriff’s department will not be assisting MSU Police with enforcement unless help is needed.
MSU Police officials were not able to comment on how they plan to enforce the ban on alcohol, but Bryan speculates that courtesy officers will patrol the Junction during football season to enforce the new laws.
“I would imagine that officers would walk around in the Junction and remind anyone who is drinking of the alcohol laws,” Bryan said.
“If the officer had to remind someone several times, than that person would most likely be arrested.”
Kibler said flyers have been and will continue to be distributed at baseball games to inform members of the MSU community of the new law.
“We want to make sure that everyone is aware of the prohibition of alcohol inside the baseball stadium,” he said.
“After fair notice has been given, we will enforce the prohibition during the baseball events.”
MSU Police officials were not able to comment on how they plan to enforce the ban on alcohol.
Will Harding, a senior agribusiness major, said he is opposed to the alcohol ban.
“It is only going to reduce activity on game days and take a lot of life out of the campus,” he said. “It is going to ruin the experience for students, faculty [and] alumni.