A new alcohol policy enacted in Iowa State’s residence halls this year will attempt to clarify the issue of underage drinking.

Residence hall rooms will be classified as “dry,” “damp” or “wet” rooms, according to the 1999-2000 Room and Board Contract.

These phrases are being introduced due to the new policy, which states that anyone under the age of 21 may not consume alcohol or even have empty alcohol containers in the room.

Another change prohibits anyone under 21 from having visitors over the age of 21 consume alcohol in the room.

Dry rooms may never have alcohol or alcohol containers in them at any time. Damp and wet rooms still will be able to have alcohol.

“Students who are not 21 are not ever allowed alcohol in their room, regardless the age of visitors,” said Sally Deters, coordinator of residence life.

She said the change was made because there were many incidences where there were empty alcohol containers in rooms of students under the age of 21. However, the residents of the room usually would not admit who owned the alcohol.

The new policy should clear up any gray areas for residence staff and residents, Deters said.

“It will be much easier now as to where to place the blame when dry rooms are confronted with having alcohol in the room,” she said.

Brad Knapp, hall director of Larch Hall, said the change is not a move toward dry residence halls; it is just an attempt to clarify the previously ambiguous policy.

“The ultimate goal is not to make all residence halls alcohol free, but rather clarify the goals of underage drinking and better define the gray areas,” Knapp said.

The idea to create dry, damp and wet rooms was raised by residence staff, Deters said. If underage residents are found with alcohol in their room, they will receive an incident report written by a residence staff member, said Virginia Arthur, associate director for residence life.

“Students who are written up are referred to the Student Counseling Center for alcohol screening, where it is decided if the student needs a full-blown assessment,” she said. “Depending on if this is a one-time incident or a more serious problem, the student is then given the proper discipline.”

Despite the fact that new policy is more strict on underage drinkers, Knapp hasn’t yet noticed any resistance from students.

“It’s too early to tell how people will react to the changes in policy or if it will even be an issue,” he said.