For a number of years, NIU’s liquor license policy has actively prohibited underage drinking at university-sponsored events.

The university currently has three liquor licenses: the Holmes Student Center, for catering events; the Convocation Center, for retail and catering; and the Art Gallery in Chicago, for retail purposes, said Bob Albanese, associate vice president for Finance and Facilities.

He said NIU has never had its license taken away in any of the three locations in the years he has administered the program.

At special events held within the university where liquor is part of the event, Albanese said strict precautions are taken to serve liquor responsibly.

If necessary, IDs are checked, Albanese said. If it’s an open event, participants may be asked to wear bracelets so servers know who is 21 years of age or older, he said.

The law in Illinois changed in the early 1980s to allow universities to hold liquor licenses for certain events, University Counsel Norden Gilbert said. He said NIU has been applying for and purchasing liquor licenses for about 25 years.

A number of checks have to be made to allow an organization to serve liquor at an event. Albanese said any time there is a request for alcohol to be served, he receives a form. The approving process is done before the event on a day-to-day basis, he said.

The HSC’s liquor license is an incidental part of food service, meaning dinner has to be a greater part of the event than liquor is, said Karen Villano, HSC food service director.

Some events at which the HSC serves liquor are weddings, receptions, bar mitzvahs, family reunions and wedding anniversaries. The license is purchased annually and is good for a year, Villano said.

Inspections and recommendations are also made by liquor commissioner George Gottlieb at least once a year, Villano said.

“All our liquor is well-secured and locked up,” Villano said. “We have an internal auditor who makes sure everything is in line.”

Villano said there haven’t been any liquor license violations made in the two years she has been at NIU.

The Convo has not had any violations in the three years it has been open, Convo director John Gordan said.

Gordan said the center determines at each event if alcohol will be served. This is determined by what the event is and who is participating in the event, he said.

Albanese said alcohol is primarily distributed in the Convo’s suite level.

“One of the things we pride ourselves on is serving liquor responsibly,” Albanese said. “Obviously, with the student population, the bulk of which is under 21, we are very careful with granting the authority of serving liquor on campus. It’s not the kind of message we want to be sending out to our students.”