Illinois Wesleyan:

Alcohol and Substance Policy

1. Illinois Wesleyan University endorses the Drug Free Schools and Campuses Act and the required provisions of that act may be found in the IWU policy statement regarding illicit drugs and alcohol.

2. Illinois Wesleyan University strictly prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, or use of alcohol and/or any illegal substance on University premises. Anyone who violates any portion of this rule will be disciplined according to the severity of the violation. Such discipline may include termination of an employee and expulsion of a student as well as referral for prosecution by the appropriate law enforcement agency.

3. Any student, faculty member, or staff member convicted under a criminal drug statute for an offense which occurred entirely or in part at the University or in a University activity, whether on or off campus, must report that conviction. Generally, students will report to the Vice President and Dean of Students, faculty and others in the academic area to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty, and all others to the Vice President of Business and Finance. Reporting should take place within 5 days of the conviction. Failure to report such convictions may result in immediate separation from the University. The conviction, when reported, will be reviewed and disciplinary action may be taken as/if appropriate.

4. Throughout the year, programs on alcohol and drug abuse are sponsored by various departments and organizations of the University because the problem of alcohol and drug abuse impacts all of us directly and/or indirectly. Students or groups who wish to have alcohol at events must secure clearance through the Associate Dean of Students well in advance of the date of the event. A registration form will be required. No kegs or pony kegs are allowed on University property. Upon discovery of kegs, pony kegs or other common sources of alcohol, said items will be confiscated and will NOT be returned but will be disposed of by Security.

5. We believe that alcoholism and drug addiction are illnesses and should be treated as such, and that the majority of those who develop an alcohol or other drug addiction can be helped to recover. The University offers assistance by referral to an appropriate agency or other resource.

6. We believe the decision to seek diagnosis and accept treatment for any suspected illness is the responsibility of the individual. The decision to seek treatment will not be detrimental to enrollment and/or employment. We believe that confidential handling of the diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism and other drug addiction is essential. Illinois Wesleyan University does not have a formal treatment program. However, with over 2,000 full-time students and an appropriate faculty and support staff, there will be some who feel a need for assistance with an alcohol or drug-related problem. The Dean of Student Affairs Staff and the Arnold Health Service professionals communicate with agencies in the community which offer assistance. Anyone desiring further consultation concerning assistance for himself/herself or a friend may contact the Vice President and Dean of Students, the Associate Dean of Students, the Counseling Center, Health Services, or the Director of Residential Life. Such consultations will be treated as confidential by the University.

Legal Consequences of Substance Abuse

There are a number of legal consequences that can occur as a result of substance abuse (drugs and/or alcohol). Under Illinois law, the sanctions listed below are imposed for offenses related to substance abuse. Even harsher punishments for drug trafficking are imposed at the federal level.

1. Possession of less than 2.5 grams of cannabis is a Class C misdemeanor for the first offense, with a fine up to $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 30 days. Subsequent offenses or possession of higher amounts can raise the charge as high as a Class 1 felony, with a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for 4-15 years.

2. Manufacture or delivery of less than 2.5 grams of cannabis can constitute a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $1,500 and imprisonment of up to 6 months. Subsequent offenses or offenses involving greater amounts of cannabis can raise the charge to a Class X felony punishable by a fine of up to $200,000 and imprisonment for 6-30 years.

3. Possession of a controlled substance starts as a Class 4 felony with a fine of not more than $25,000 and a sentence of not less than 1 year or more than 3 years. Depending on the amount of substance involved, the individual can be charged with a Class 1 felony and fined not more than $200,000 and imprisoned for not less than 10 years or more than 50 years.

4. Those involved in the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance can be found guilty of a Class 3 felony with a fine of not more than $75,000 and a sentence of not less than 2 years or more than 5 years. Depending on the amount of the controlled substance, the charge can go as high as a Class X felony with a fine of not more than $500,000 and a sentence of not less than 6 years or more than 30 years.

5. Illegal possession of alcohol by someone under 21 years of age is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and a sentence up to 6 months in jail

6. Those found guilty of distributing alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age are guilty of a Class A misdemeanor with a fine up to $2,500 and a sentence up to 1 year in jail.

7. Those individuals who are charged with driving under the influence of alcohol where the blood alcohol content is greater than 0.08 can be found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000, a sentence up to 1 year in jail, and a 1 year suspension of their driver's license. Additional offenses can increase the crime to a Class 4 felony with a fine up to $25,000 and a sentence up to 10 years. It can also result in a more permanent loss of an individual's driver's license. Drivers under 21 years of age who are found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol will find consequences in excess of those listed above.

Enforcement Issues Related to Alcohol Use on Campus

1. The University expects that all students will act in accordance with state and local laws regarding the use of alcohol. To that end, only students 21 years of age or older may possess and/or consume alcoholic beverages defined as beer and wine only. Provision of alcohol to persons less than 21 years of age is prohibited.

2. Possession, consumption and/or provision of alcohol in public areas of the campus is not permitted unless authorized through the Associate Dean of Students/Co-Curricular Programs. Public areas are defined as those areas of the campus that are readily accessible to students, faculty, staff and guests. Such areas include all outside areas, athletic fields, lobbies, classrooms, lounges, building corridors and offices.

3. Students (whether of legal drinking age or not) and/or their guests are not permitted to have kegs, party balls or other common sources of alcohol, tapped or untapped, on campus. A common source of alcohol is also defined as more alcohol than can be responsibly consumed by the occupants of the room.

4. Student activity fees may not be used, directly or indirectly, to purchase alcoholic beverages.

5. No reference, direct or indirect, to alcohol may appear or be used in notices or postings (including sheet signs) which promote or advertise an event.

Local Ordinances for Unlawful Possession or Distribution of Illicit Drugs and/or Alcohol

The city of Bloomington adheres to strict enforcement of laws regarding alcohol and illicit drugs. The legal drinking age in the city of Bloomington is 21. The state of Illinois has a zero tolerance law. Thus, it is illegal for any person under age 21 to possess alcohol in the city of Bloomington or to have alcohol of any amount in their system. It is also unlawful to possess a false ID, to tamper with your ID, or to use someone else's ID. The city ordinances and fines are as follows:

a. Illegal Sale, Gift or Service of Alcoholic Liquor to Persons (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(a) - Fine $250) -This means you can not sell cups, collect money for alcohol at a party, or charge admission. In order to do this you need to have a license with the city of Bloomington.

a. Illegal Sale, Gift or Service of Alcoholic Liquor to Persons (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(a) - Fine $250) - This means you can not sell cups, collect money for alcohol at a party, or charge admission. In order to do this you need to have a license with the city of Bloomington.

b. Illegal (Attempt to) Purchase or Acceptance of Alcoholic Liquor (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(b) -Fine $250) - This means you cannot use a fake ID of any type or tamper with your own ID for the purpose of purchasing alcohol.

a. Illegal Sale, Gift or Service of Alcoholic Liquor to Persons (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(a) - Fine $250) - This means you can not sell cups, collect money for alcohol at a party, or charge admission. In order to do this you need to have a license with the city of Bloomington.

b. Illegal (Attempt to) Purchase or Acceptance of Alcoholic Liquor (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(b) - Fine $250) - This means you cannot use a fake ID of any type or tamper with your own ID for the purpose of purchasing alcohol.

a. Illegal Sale, Gift or Service of Alcoholic Liquor to Persons (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(a) - Fine $250) - This means you can not sell cups, collect money for alcohol at a party, or charge admission. In order to do this you need to have a license with the city of Bloomington.

b. Illegal (Attempt to) Purchase or Acceptance of Alcoholic Liquor (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(b) - Fine $250) - This means you cannot use a fake ID of any type or tamper with your own ID for the purpose of purchasing alcohol.

c. Illegal Order, Sales, Purchase or Delivery of Alcoholic Liquor or Permission Thereof for Persons (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(c) - Fine $250)

d. Drinking or Possession of Open Alcohol on A Public Street or Other Public Property (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(d) - Fine $250) - This means you can not walk around with open alcohol in your possession.

e. Illegal Possession of Alcoholic Liquor (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(e) - Fine $250)

f. Illegal Possession of Alcoholic Liquor by Consumption (Ch. 6 Sec. 26(f) - Fine $250)

g. No Underage or Intoxicated Person in Licensed Premises (Ch. 6 Sec. 27(a) - Fine $250) - The bar entry age in Bloomington for purposes of consuming beverages is 21.

h. Purchasing or Attempting to Purchase Alcoholic Liquor with Fraudulent/False ID (Ch. 6 Sec. 28(g) - Fine $250) - This means fake ID's are illegal and violators will be prosecuted.

i. No Alcoholic Liquor with Broken Seal in Passenger Area of Automobile (Ch. 6 Sec. 30 - Fine $250) - This means you cannot be in possession of alcohol that has been opened in the passenger area of an automobile. Even if you have not drank this alcohol it is still illegal to be in possession of it.

j. Possession of Cannabis (Ch. 28 Sec. 103(a) - Fine $50)

k. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Ch. 28 Sec. 103.1 - Fine $250

Illinois State Alcohol Laws

Influenced Driving

Each year in Illinois, hundreds of people die needlessly as the result of drinking or drugged driving. Hundreds more are seriously injured or permanently disabled, and millions of dollars of property damage occur. Here are some things you should know about the consequences of drinking and driving in Illinois.

DUI Information for Adults

DUI Conviction Penalties

First DUI conviction

Minimum of one-year loss of full driving privileges
Possible imprisonment for up to one year.
Maximum fine of $1,000.

Second DUI Conviction

Minimum three-year loss of full driving privileges for a second conviction in a 20-year period.
Mandatory 48 hours in jail or 10 days community service for a second conviction in a five-year period.
Possible imprisonment for up to one year.
Maximum fine of $1,000

Third DUI Conviction - Class 4 felony

Minimum six-year loss of full driving privileges.
Possible imprisonment for up to three years.
Maximum fine of $10,000.

Other Alcohol Offenses

Felony DUI - Class 4 felony (following a crash resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement.)

Loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of one year.
Possible imprisonment for one to three years.
Maximum fine of $10,000.

Providing Alcohol to a Person Under Age 21

Possible imprisonment for up to one year.
Maximum fine of $2,500.

Illegal Transportation of an Alcoholic Beverage

Maximum fine of $500.
Point-assigned violation will be entered on drivers record.
Drivers license suspension for a second conviction in a 12-month period.

Knowingly Permitting a Driver Under the Influence to Operate a Vehicle

Possible imprisonment for up to one year.
Maximum fine of $1,000.

Summary Suspension

First Offense

A chemical test indicating a BAC of .08 or greater results in a mandatory three-month drivers license suspension.
Refusal to submit to a chemical test(s) results in a six-month license suspension.

Subsequent Offenses

Refusal to submit to a chemical test(s), or test results indicating a BAC of .08 or greater, results in a mandatory 12 months drivers license suspension.

Teenage Drinking and Driving

Drivers under age 21 represent 10% of licensed drivers but are involved in 17% of alcohol-related fatal crashes. If you are arrested for DUI you will be handcuffed and taken to jail. What will your parents say when you call home and tell them you are in jail? Illinois DUI laws for drivers under 21 years of age are tough and will effect your life for years-- if you live that long. Crashes are a leading cause of death for teens. Nationally, six individuals between the ages of 15 - 20 die in motor vehicle crashes each day. About 2 in every 5 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.

Legal Consequences of Underage Drinking and Driving

First Underage 21 DUI Conviction

Loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of 2 years.
Possible imprisonment for up to 1 year.
Maximum $2,500 fine.

Second Underage 21 DUI Conviction

Loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of 5 years or until age 21, whichever is longer.
Mandatory 5 days in jail or 30 days community service if prior offense within 5 years.
Possible imprisonment for up to l year.
Maximum $2,500 fine.

Third Underage 21 DUI Conviction - Class 4 Felony

Loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of 10 years.
Mandatory 10 days imprisonment or 60 days community service.
Possible imprisonment for 1-3 years.
Maximum $25,000 fine if prior offense within 5 years.

Aggravated DUI - Class 4 Felony (Following a crash resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disfigurements)

Loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of 1 year.
Possible imprisonment for 1-12 years.
Maximum fine of $25,000.

Underage Illegal Transportation of an Alcoholic Beverage

Maximum fine of $1,000.
Drivers license suspended for first conviction.
Drivers license revoked for a second conviction.

Summary Suspension

A chemical test indicating a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or greater results in a 3-month drivers license suspension.
Refusal to submit to a chemical test(s) results in a 6-month license suspension.For subsequent offenses, a chemical test indicating a BAC of .08 or greater results in a 12-month drivers license suspension.
Refusal to submit to a chemical test(s) results in a 36-month drivers license suspension.

Possession of Alcoholic Beverages - It is illegal for any person under the age of 21 to have alcoholic beverages in their possession, whether open or unopened. Penalties include:

A maximum of $2,500 fine and up to one year in jail.

Using a Fake Illinois Drivers License or ID Card - The penalties for using false IDs are serious and could change your life forever.

Obtaining a drivers license through false affidavit is punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a maximum $25,000 fine.
Allowing another person to use your identification documents to apply for a drivers license or ID card is punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a maximum $25,000 fine.

Zero Tolerance Law for Underage Drinking and Driving

Zero tolerance is a state law that went into effect on January 1, 1995. The law provides for suspension of the driving privileges of any person under the age of 21 who drives after consuming alcohol. Like the name zero tolerance suggests, any trace of alcohol in a young person's system can result in a suspended drivers license. There are exceptions -- minors who consume alcohol as part of a religious service or those who ingest a prescribed or recommended dosage of medicine containing alcohol.