As the football season progresses, more and more students and fans come out to University of Oregon football games early for brews, burgers and time well spent supporting their beloved Ducks.
However, not all college students are of legal age to participate in the alcohol-related events that typically occur at a tailgate, and the rules are getting stricter. Those who are caught underage drinking at a tailgate could face a $250 fine.
Campus police patrol tailgating sites for many different reasons, but underage drinking is a large focus for them.
UOPD has an effective approach for preventing underage consumption of alcohol this year including approaching groups that appear to be primarily composed of underage drinkers.
“That tends to stop the consuming of other underage individuals,” McIver said. “Or they leave the area where the alcohol has been made available.”
In addition to UOPD, officers from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission will be checking IDs and writing citations for alcohol related offenses.
“The OLCC works to control underage drinking and alcohol problems with a balanced blend of liquor law enforcement, outreach education, publicity and communication,” said Christie Scott, the organization’s public affairs specialist.
Aaron Alexander, a senior at the University of Oregon and social chair for the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta, has taken on the responsibility of his fraternity’s tailgates this year.
“We do not supply any alcohol to minors mainly because it is illegal and and also because our tailgate could be shut down,” Alexander said.
Alexander and the rest of his fraternity brothers have found their own method of regulating their tailgate and keeping things under control by marking everyone who is legal with a sharpie.
“I’ve talked to the parking supervisor for tailgating and she is well aware of the precautions I’ve made to make my tailgate spot a safe, fun, and responsible Greek tailgating area,” Alexander said.
More than just this supervisor, there are many different authorities on game day regulating drinking among minors.
“There is a bike team that works the games, and their job is to help make sure that the parking lot and areas outside the stadium are safe and orderly,” said Kelly McIver, director of communications for UOPD.
The OLCC partners with UOPD on occasions such as tailgates or party patrols on Friday and Saturday nights.
“In partnership with UOPD, Department of Public Safety and other organizations, we work together throughout the games and on a variety of issues, not just during the football season,” Scott said.
As the Ducks football season wraps up with the last couple home games of the year, Scott believes that citations will decrease anyways.
“At the beginning of the season, there’s a whole new crop of students that need to be educated. Then, tapers off toward the end of the year, after the students have received education.”
Tailgating is a beloved ritual for duck fans at Oregon, and as far as these precautions go, different tailgaters have to weigh their options carefully.
“I think at times authorities are too strict and should let tailgaters have fun and do what they want with their friends,” Alexander said. “But too many people have caused trouble that it’s hard for them to just let everyone have their freedom.”