Student Senate will be hosting its fourth annual campus-wide formal on Friday. The Gatsby Gala is set to have a DJ and food, but for the first time it boasts something new to Lehigh student events — an open bar.
Alcohol will be provided by the university for students over 21 years of age that bring appropriate identification to the formal. Fraternities in the past have been able to have alcohol at Lehigh-sponored events, but a student association has never been able to obtain approval before now.
Student Senate President Kerry Mallett, ’15, said that the university plans to front the cost of the alcohol at the formal.
According to Alex Stephanou, ’15, co-chair of Student Senate’s unity committee, Senate wants this event to be a campus unity event.
“We’re trying to bring together people from all over campus for a night of fun,” Stephanou said. “It used to be that formals and date parties were almost exclusive to being in certain organizations, which we didn’t really think was fair. We think the whole campus should have the opportunity to dress up with their friends.”
Mallett said it’s great to see the social environment changing.
Aside from just students being present at the event, faculty and staff are also invited for a cocktail hour. From 8 to 9 p.m., professors and other staff members will be able attend the formal before the DJ takes over.
“The idea behind it was how cool would it be to have, you know, a drink, whether that be a Coca-Cola or a beer, with your adviser or favorite professor?” Stephanou said.
This hour is open to students of all ages, not just those 21 and over.
“Students not interested in drinking (or simply underage) should not feel pressured in any way,” Cristina DeScisciolo, ’15, co-chair of the Unity Committee, said in an email. “There will also be nonalcoholic beverages, good food, music, guest performances, fun photographs and even some prizes to raffle.”
Stephanou said that she thinks the administration is beginning to realize that more events like this need to happen if they hope to have a safe environment on campus. She said she thinks students would rather have events come back to campus.
Mallett agreed, saying that although university policy has restricted alcohol at campus events in the past, both student leaders and administrators think it is a good idea to provide alcohol in a safe environment.
“They don’t want to go off campus, it’s not safe,” Stephanou said. “So I think this is Lehigh’s first step in trying to embrace and really move with the student culture.”
Both Mallett and Stephanou said Matt Kitchie, the Student Senate adviser and the director of campus activities, was instrumental in making the open bar possible. They said he worked hard to carry the idea through a panel and make it a reality.
Students who are over 21 will be given a certain amount of tickets to use at the open bar. Additionally, this is the first Student Senate formal where a cover charge has to be paid. Students will be required to pay $5 before the event or $7 at the door. None of the cover charge will go toward paying for the open bar, rather it will contribute to other expenses for the formal.
Buses will be running from 7:45 p.m. continuously throughout the night to transport students to and from the event. The bus stops are at Taylor Gym, Drown Hall, Packard Lab, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Alpha Phi/Alpha Gamma Delta sororities, and Alpha Omicron Pi/Gamma Phi Beta sororities.
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