In compliance with the pledge taken by Iowa State students for an alcohol-free Veishea and with the recommendation by the Judicial Processes Committee, the university has issued a new alcohol policy especially for Veishea.

The rules were adopted by ISU President Martin Jischke and will go into effect for this year’s Veishea celebration being held April 17-19.

The rules replace the current Conduct Violation 6 of the Student Conduct Code. In the Student Information Handbook the code states the university’s alcohol policy.

The new Conduct Violation 6 is comprised of three sections, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3.

Section 6.1 reminds students that they are subject not only to Iowa State’s alcohol policy, but local, state and federal laws as well. It also prohibits students from using altered or falsified identification to acquire alcohol.

Section 6.2 goes in depth on supplying alcohol to persons underage. The section “will apply to persons who intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently supply alcohol to persons underage.”

Section 6.3, which is the most notable change of the alcohol policy, states the formal rules for alcohol during Veishea. The new policy clearly states that Iowa State will be an alcohol-free campus during Veishea, and all of the “campus and events or activities of the university and its university-recognized or university-sponsored groups will be alcohol free.”

With new city ordinances passed regarding punishment of alcohol consumption during Veishea, the new code makes an exemption from punishment when consumption of prescribed or over-the-counter medicines containing alcohol are consumed for medical reasons.

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, said new regulations needed to be added to the Student Information Handbook for a dry Veishea to be successful.

“Basically it makes it more specific and real clear,” he said.

The new code for alcohol is shorter and has fewer details than the previous code, but Hill said a lot of the alcohol rules don’t need to be specified to be enforced.

“We don’t have to specify a rule for underage drinking,” he said, adding that it is common knowledge for students that drinking underage is illegal.

Hill said the major change in the rule is “during that period of time (April 17-19) it is against the code to drink alcohol.”

No matter how old a person is, even if he or she is 21 years of age, the new policy prohibits him or her from consuming alcohol on campus or in a university-affiliated activity or area during Veishea.

“The pledge is in force,” he said. “I am counting on people following it.”

Hill said he would not have supported the new code if he believed students would not follow through with their pledge for a dry Veishea.

“We’ll do what it takes to preserve Veishea,” he said.

Although Veishea will not be used for its original purpose, Hill said he wants Veishea’s environment to return to how it was in past years.

When Veishea began more than 75 years ago, it was used to recruit students to ISU by showcasing the campus and academic programs.

Hill said the process for recruiting has changed, and by spring, most students have decided where they are going to go to college.

Instead, Hill said he hopes Veishea will be used to show the institution in more depth to students who have already decided to come here, and to anyone else who wants to learn more about the university.

To obtain this goal, Hill said he wants Veishea to be limited to the ISU family and those in the community who care about ISU’s future.

Hill said he supports the new alcohol policy in hopes that it will eliminate those who attend Veishea to party and drink.

“To me, it’s really not a big change,” Hill said. “The big deal was pledging to go alcohol-free. Everything else is business as usual.”