Beer, wine on menu at SEMO games; medical marijuana off limits

Beer and wine will be on the menu at Southeast Missouri State University basketball games starting in late October.

The school's Board of Regents adopted a new policy Friday allowing alcohol to be sold at Southeast home collegiate athletic events, starting with the basketball season.

School officials said it could lead to less binge drinking on the part of students.

Southeast has piloted the sale of beer and wine at select home basketball games in a "Fast Break Lounge" at the Show Me Center the last two seasons, according to a news release.

Patrons of legal age are required to stay within a designated area to purchase and consume the alcohol.

A similar area, the Field Goal Club, is being piloted in the west end zone of Houck Field at home football games this season.

"Over the past two years, we have taken a thoughtful approach to piloting beverage sales at some of our athletics events and feel this is an option that will enhance the current fan experience," Brady Barke, Southeast director of athletics, said in the news release.

"We remain committed to ensuring all of our fans have a safe and enjoyable experience and believe this approach will lead to more responsible consumption prior to and during our events," he said.

Alcohol sales will be managed by the Show Me Center management at all on-campus athletic events and will require a liquor license through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation or a contracted state-licensed vendor, according to Kathy Mangels, vice president for finance and administration.

Alcoholic beverages already are sold at nonschool events in the Show Me Center. Beer and wine also have been sold at select River Campus performances, university officials said in the release.

Southeast will look at additional security, designated alcohol-free seating sections, limits on drinks sold to customers and serving alcoholic beverages in cups to prevent bottles or cans from being used as projectiles, officials said.

University spokeswoman Ann Hayes wrote in an email several colleges have reported a decrease in alcohol-related incidents at athletic events after adoption of alcohol sales "because it has reduced the amount of binge drinking taking place before games."

In other business, the regents voted to prohibit the use of medical marijuana products and working under the influence of medical marijuana on all university-owned, -leased or -occupied facilities and properties, in university vehicles and at events on school properties.

The policy, however, allows the university to conduct research on hemp -- marijuana containing less than 0.3 % of the THC compound -- as allowed under state law.

Missouri voters last fall approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana.

But the statewide election did not change federal law under which medical marijuana remains illegal, Mangels said.

Missouri employers are not required to accommodate medical marijuana use in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act, she said.

The regents also approved plans to establish a new Institute for Cybersecurity to further research, education and service activities in this growing "high-need" field of study, according to a news release.

The institute will be launched in the spring 2020 semester.

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