Alcohol Policy

Monash Residential Services (MRS) exists to provide a living and learning environment in which residents will always act with the best interests of fellow residents in mind. Tolerance and respect for others and their rights and freedoms should be a primary concern as should their health and personal safety.

MRS respects the rights of residents to consume alcohol in a responsible and legal manner on the understanding that the consumption of alcohol will not have a detrimental effect on the individual or the residential community.

Residents are expected to exercise maturity and community consciousness and accept personal responsibility in regards to their own alcohol consumption and show care and consideration for other members of the residential community regarding their alcohol consumption.

The MRS Alcohol Policy has been formulated to cover:

The consumption of alcohol purchased and/or supplied by residents and/or their guests, and
The consumption of alcohol purchased and/or supplied by MRS.

The MRS Alcohol Policy rests on the following principles:

MRS has an obligation to ensure, as far as possible, that the benefits it provides are available to all residents on an equal basis.
MRS acknowledges that there is a general social and legal tolerance of controlled drinking. However, they also recognise that the harmful physical, behavioural and social effects of excessive alcohol consumption are becoming increasingly evident.
MRS insists that individuals accept responsibility for their behaviour and actions while intoxicated.
Residents and/or their guests must not be subjected to any pressure to drink, or to drink more than they judge to be reasonable. Nor should they feel compelled to drink alcohol because no reasonable and attractive alternative is offered.
MRS accommodation site managers and/or Heads have the right to determine where, when and if alcohol may be consumed by anyone [including residents and their guests] in any area outside a resident’s own private bedroom which includes but is not limited to communal areas, kitchens, dining areas, corridors, passageways, gardens and grounds, car parks, etc.
Residents who display alcohol dependence and/or alcohol abuse behaviour may be required to participate in educational programs and discussions regarding the effects of alcohol use and abuse.
Residents and/or their guests are not to engage in binge drinking and must refrain from promoting and/or participating and/or encouraging drinking games.

As part of this Alcohol Policy, MRS has also adopted regulations regarding the provision of alcohol at functions which is aimed at minimising inequity and damage:

inequity regarding the resources spent on non-drinkers as opposed to drinkers, when their respective contributions are equal;
damage to drinkers and to those around them;
damage to the property of individuals and of MRS; and
damage to the standing of MRS in the university and the community.

Alcohol at Functions

The following itemised points are undertakings which organisers of functions for residents held in MRS or outside must give and abide by.

The guiding principle of the MRS alcohol policy is to ensure that excessive amounts of alcohol are not provided at any function. The amount of alcohol supplied should directly relate to the numbers attending the function and to the time allowed for the function. Alcohol should only be supplied based on a formula i.e. number of residents expected to attend who will be drinkers calculated by the appropriate level of alcohol which could be consumed without the drinkers becoming intoxicated, i.e. achieving a blood alcohol level greater than 0.05.
Heads are required to approve any function within their hall or residential site where alcohol is either supplied or present.
Alcohol is not to be used as a draw card for functions, i.e. cheap drinks, cocktail night, pub crawls, etc.
Kegs are not permitted within a MRS accommodation complex.
Drinking games are not permitted.
Intoxicated residents are not to be supplied with more alcohol.
Alcoholic punch is not permitted.
At any function, at least two people nominated and approved by the Head will be required to abstain from consuming alcohol throughout the function, to ensure that the MRS Alcohol Policy is adhered to.
At any function where alcohol is provided, an adequate amount and type of food must also be provided.
At any function where alcohol is provided, an adequate amount and type of non-alcoholic drinks and/or soft drinks that are an appealing alternative must also be provided.
Drinking water must be available at all times during any function at which alcohol has been provided.
At any function where alcohol is supplied, alcohol must not be supplied to under-18 year olds and there must be a system in place to verify that drinkers at all such functions are not under-18 years of age.
It is mandatory that nominated representatives organising an event with alcohol must attend a Responsible Serving of Alcohol training session.

If organisers are not able to give these assurances, approval for a function will be withheld. If they are given but not adhered to, the function will be stopped and further approval will probably be denied when a subsequent application is made.

Level of Usage - Standard Drinks (STD)

The use of standard drinks (STD) can help people to monitor their alcohol consumption and exercise control over the amount they drink. A standard drink is defined as one that contains 10 grams of pure alcohol. Different types of alcoholic drinks contain different amounts of pure alcohol.

Keep in mind that the "standard" size of drinks served in some hotels may be bigger than the standard drinks you are used to. Large wine glasses can hold two standard drinks or even more. Drinks served at home often contain more alcohol than a standard drink. Cocktails can contain as many as five or six standard drinks, depending on the recipe. (Reference: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au )

More information and fact sheets regarding alcohol and alcohol consumption including risk minimisation can be found at http://www.alcohol.gov.au/

Definitions –
The term “Head” refers to the:

Head of a Hall of Residence, Normanby House, South East Flats and Gippsland Residential (or any person acting in that position from time to time),
Manager Berwick Residential, Caulfield Residential and Peninsula Residential (or any person acting in that position from time to time)

The term “resident” or “Resident” refers to

Anyone occupying or at any time staying in (whether it is for one night or longer) any MRS accommodation, e.g. students, staff, guests, visitors, conference delegates, etc.

Last updated 13 November 2007