If you have questions about alcohol service on campus, please review the FAQs below or contact the Campus Manager of Alcohol Service at 303-492-4558 or campusalcoholagent@colorado.edu. If you are planning an event with alcohol, you must follow the University of Colorado Boulder Alcohol Service On Campus Policy.
All requests for an event with alcohol must be submitted for the current semester or no earlier than 45 days if the event falls to the following semester and no later than 15 calendar days before the event unless the event requires a Special Event Permit (SEP). If you plan to use an SEP, contact the Campus Manager of Alcohol Service at least 60 days before your event. Please see the Alcohol Service On Campus Policy for the SEP process.
To request permission to hold an event with alcohol please use the Event with Alcohol Authorization Form. Please submit the form electronically using DocuSign. Once the form is submitted for approval by the Campus Manager of Alcohol Service, you will receive an email confirming the receipt of the form. If you do not receive a confirmation email within two business days, please resubmit the authorization request.
If you are unsure about the type of event you are having or the requirements for that event, please refer to the Alcohol Policy Decision Tree.
FAQs
Any event where alcohol is served that meets either of the following conditions is covered by this policy:
• The event takes place on university property
• The event is paid for in part or in whole by university funds.
The only events that don’t require the form are
• Gatherings of 10 or fewer people in a staff or faculty member’s office
• Events occurring during normal business operations at The Connection in the UMC
• Events occurring in the Levy in Folsom Field Athletics complex
• Events occurring at an off-campus location with a liquor license
This means that the only alcohol served is the type of alcohol authorized under Colorado law for that specific location. For example, a gathering that takes place at The Connection during its regular business hours that serves beer would not require the Event with Alcohol Authorization Form.
Yes – All events that take place on university property are covered by the Alcohol Service on Campus Policy.
You can have an event anywhere on campus as long as you meet the specific requirements for the type of event.
The CU Event Coordinator is the CU employee responsible for filling out the Event with Alcohol Authorization Form (AAF) and ensuring compliance with CU policies. The CU Event Coordinator is also responsible for informing the Designee of our policies and procedures. The Designee is responsible for complying with all campus policies and laws regarding alcohol. This includes signage, being present the entire event, previously printed invitation list, AAF is on site and ensuring non-alcoholic beverages and food are available the duration of the event. (The Designee, server and check-in person are three separate roles and cannot be combined.)
No – These two policies work together. The Alcoholic Beverages Purchased for University Events policy deals with when university funds can be used to purchase alcohol. The Alcohol Service on Campus policy deals with when and how alcohol can legally be served and/or sold on campus and off-campus at CU-sponsored events.
Private events meet the following requirements: invitation-only, access limited only to invited guests and no advertising per state law. The alcohol served is free unless the event is a university-sponsored event and the admission charge or other charge for participation is the same regardless of whether the person attending consumes alcohol or not.
An SEP is issued by the State Liquor Enforcement Division and creates a temporary licensed premise for a specific location and time where alcohol may be served and sold to the public for events of attendance over 500 people. The entity seeking to hold an event with alcohol using a SEP must have an approved Event with Alcohol Authorization Form as well.
Consult with the
Campus Manager of the Alcohol Service a minimum of 60 days before the event date. The process for applying is different depending on the nature of the event and the applicant. Advanced notice will allow for plenty of time to work through the approval process.
Due to food licenses and closed venues, some locations on campus require CU Events Planning & Catering to provide catering and bar services. Please work with your venue scheduler to confirm if your venue falls under this restriction. If there is a question about the venue’s restriction, please contact CU Events Planning & Catering for further clarification. For all other locations use of an outside caterer is allowed, however, an alcohol authorization form is still required.
Regardless of who caters the event, servers of alcohol must be certified in either TIPS or the equivalent.
Yes – to help you prepare for your upcoming events we recommend completing the Alcohol Service Policy module in SkillSoft. TIPS certification is offered to university affiliates for $30 per attendee. Please see the current
TIPS class schedule for the next available class time and more information.
Security requirements will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the CU Police Department.
Yes – There must be a system in place to identify guests who are not of age so they won’t be served alcohol (e.g. wrist bands, hand stamps, etc.).
A valid driver’s license, state-issued identification card, military identification card or passport are all approved forms of identification.
Food, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages must be available during any event with alcohol. Examples include reception foods, meals or sandwiches. Three proteins per person must be available throughout the entire duration of alcohol service.
If you use a purchase order to purchase alcohol you still need to complete an Official Function Form. For purchases made using the Procurement Card and for personal reimbursements, the Official function Form is not required.
The EMF is required for events with minors, VIPs, non-affiliates (independent of talent), invited media, attendance of 200 or more people in an indoor venue and outdoor events. Please refer to the campus’
Event and Activities Approval Guidance for more information about the EMF and guidance on event approval.
- Auxiliary funds (funds 20 and 29) can be used to pay for alcohol at a CU-sponsored event where an admission or registration fee is the same regardless of whether the person attending consumes alcohol or not.
- If there is no charge to attendees or the event is a fundraising event, a fund 34 speedtype with a Gift Purpose Code 2 of Y must be used.
