Alcohol & Drugs

Laws on Drinking

The College draws the attention of its members to the Illinois laws on drinking, particularly to these statutes:

“Any person to whom the sale, gift or delivery of any alcoholic liquor is prohibited because of age shall not purchase or accept as a gift such alcoholic liquor.

• No person shall transfer, alter, or deface an identification card, use the identification card of another, carry or use a false identification, or obtain an identification card by means of false information.
• No person shall purchase, accept delivery of, or have possession of alcoholic liquor in violation of this section.
• The consumption of alcoholic liquor by any person less than 21 years of age is forbidden. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
• Every person who is injured in person or property by any intoxicated person has a right of action in his/her own name, severally or jointly, against any person who, by selling or giving alcoholic liquor, causes the intoxication of such a person.
• The State provides penalties for offenders up to one year in jail and a fine of $1000.”

The College will expect to discipline members who, on or in the immediate vicinity of the campus, violate State and or local law.

The College’s Alcohol Policy

We seek to educate our students, consistent with State laws, to understand the use and abuse of alcoholic beverages. Providing an environment where students can accept privileges as well as responsibilities in the use of alcohol is an extension of our educational role in giving guidance to the learning processes outside the classroom.

Thus the College provides educational programs, individual and group counseling, testing and referral information. The maintenance of an environment supportive of students depends on each member of the College’s extended community - faculty, students, staff, parents, alumni, and guests - exercising responsible behavior as well as holding other members of the community responsible for their behavior.

In all instances and for all occasions, the College expects those members who are of legal age and above who choose to use alcohol to observe the principle of moderation. The College will expect to deal in an appropriate manner with a member who drinks excessively.

The College reserves the right to change a student’s housing assignment when a student is thought to need greater supervision or is a negative influence on other students. Indeed the College reserves the right to require treatment, suspend or expel a student whose capacity to work has been eroded by excessive drinking.

Regulations on the Use of Alcohol

1. No person under-age may posses or consume alcoholic beverages on College property. Members of the College and visitors are particularly warned against making alcoholic beverages available to a person who is under age.
2. A member of legal age may consume alcoholic beverages in his or her room, a room of another member of legal age, or in an approved social area.
3. There can be no consumption of alcoholic beverages or the carrying of open containers in halls of residence or houses, in public rooms, or in any College building and public places except as approved in paragraph two and nine.
4. Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed or carried in open containers outdoors on the campus.
5. Athletic teams, individuals and other groups traveling under the College’s aegis must abide by the College’s regulations.
6. No organization may include in its budget funds for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
7. No organization may demand from its members monies for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
8. Bars are not permitted on campus.
9. A living group may petition the Office of Student Affairs at the beginning of each semester to establish that persons of legal age may consume alcoholic beverages in a lounge or social room. Such a petition must carry the signatures of three-fourths or more of the membership. In assessing the petition, the Office of Student Affairs will consider the prior behavior of the petitioning group.
10. Parties and other social events at which alcohol is available may be open only to members of the hall, house, or to specifically invited guests. Food and non-alcoholic beverages must be made available when alcohol is present. Sponsors of social events where alcohol is present must clearly define the length of the events and provide adequate supervision in the form of chaperones or social hosts.
11. Advertising of alcohol related events is strictly prohibited. Advertising which promotes the excessive use of alcohol is strictly prohibited.
12. Kegs are not permitted on campus. There is a minimum $300 fine for students found in possession of a keg.
13. Those engaging in disruptive behavior while consuming or after consuming alcohol including public intoxication, inappropriate verbal exchanges with Monmouth College officials and other students, physical violence, refusal to cooperate with a Monmouth College official (i.e. failure to produce ID), damage to college property, vomiting, loss of bodily functions or memory and unconsciousness due to excessive alcohol consumption should expect to be sanctioned. (This list is not intended to be exhaustive.)

Alcohol Policy Disciplinary Sanctions

The following sanctions will be applied for violations of the Monmouth College alcohol policy:

First offense: $100.00 fine
Second offense: $150.00 fine
Third offense $200.00 fine
Kegs: $300.00 fine

In addition, these sanctions may be amended at the College’s discretion given the severity of the circumstances. Additional sanctions may be added including but not limited to, warnings, community service, alcohol abuse treatment, suspension and dismissal.

Alcohol Policy Disciplinary Sanctions Appeal

Those who are sanctioned through the citation process may appeal sanctions to the Alcohol Policy Student Appeals Board by calling 309-457-2113 for an appointment to meet with the Board. All requests for an appointment must be received by the first Thursday following receipt of the citation. Decisions of the Appeals Board are final.

Those sanctions received through the disciplinary hearing process may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Life or his or her designee. Decisions by the Vice President for Student Life or his or her designee regarding these appeals are final.

City of Monmouth Liquor Ordinances

Public Drinking or Intoxication
132.60 LIQOUR IN PUBLIC PLACES.

For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

No person shall consume any alcoholic liquor while in or upon public streets, alleys, sidewalk, parking lots, or other public ways.

No person shall be in possession of any glass, can, or open container containing alcoholic liquor on any thoroughfare, street, sidewalk, alley, parking lots or any other public way.

No person shall have in his or her possession an open container containing alcoholic liquor within or on a motor vehicle including motorcycles, while parked or standing on a public street or public parking lot in the city, or while the vehicle is in motion.

132.61 Public Intoxication

No intoxicated person or no person incapacitated by alcohol shall be in any public street, alley, walk, mall, building or other place owned or controlled by the city. This section shall not prohibit any person from traveling, without operating a motor vehicle, over the most convenient route to the person’s home or to a place to seek treatment for alcoholism, or to seek medical treatment for any condition, to seek mental health treatment or to seek spiritual help.

The possession or use of marijuana/cannabis is prohibited on all campus property, including residence halls, any vehicles, and parking lots. Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and dedicated to preparing students for rich personal and professional lives. Also, as a condition of receiving funds or any other form of financial assistance under any federal program, Section 1213 of the Higher Education Act requires Monmouth College to implement a drug prevention program that imposes disciplinary sanctions on students and employees consistent with local, state and federal law. Although the use of marijuana is legal in the State of Illinois, it remains a Schedule I illegal drug under Federal law

FAQs about Marijuana/Cannabis

The State of Illinois has legalized marijuana, so it’s OK to smoke or consume cannabis if I want, right?

No. Federal laws override state laws. That means even though the state will not charge adults 21 and older with a crime for smoking marijuana after January 1, 2020, students are still subject to federal laws. As such, students can face federal prosecution and a conviction of drug use. This could result in the loss of individual federal financial aid. It is important to remember that it remains illegal in Illinois to distribute cannabis without a license.

Monmouth College believes that the use of cannabis undermines the mission of an educational institution, has unknown risks to physical and mental health, and will jeopardize students’ eligibility to receive federal financial aid.

What does cannabis have to do with my financial aid?

Colleges whose students receive federal financial aid – such as Pell grants, federally subsidized student loans and Parent PLUS loans – must comply with the Drug-Free and Safe Communities Act of 1988. The act requires institutions who receive aid and want to remain eligible for federal research money to comply with federal laws. At this time, cannabis is considered illegal by the federal government.

Can Monmouth College prohibit something that Illinois says is legal, so long as I’m 21 or older?

Yes. The new state law specifically allows colleges and universities to prohibit the use of cannabis:

(d) Nothing in this Act shall require an individual or business entity to violate the provisions of federal law, including colleges or universities that must abide by the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1988, that require campuses to be drug free.

If I go across the street and smoke on the sidewalk, then I’ll be safe because I will be off campus.

No. The Scot’s Guide “Disciplinary Procedures” apply whether you are on or off campus, are participating in College-sponsored trips or activities, or attending co-curricular events. The Scot’s Guide “Disciplinary Procedures” have been updated to reflect this. Students who choose to use marijuana elsewhere need to check local laws, as the state law allows Illinois counties and cities to prohibit dispensaries and related businesses; also, any business or property owner retains the right to prohibit the possession or use of cannabis.

Local residents include families with children, the elderly and others who deserve our respect. Additionally, the Illinois law does not permit use of marijuana in public. Local law enforcement officials have the right to ticket you for public use, just as they would if you were consuming alcohol on a public sidewalk.

What if I live off-campus? Can I grow marijuana plants, if my landlord says it’s OK?

The Scot’s Guide applies to student behavior on and off campus; students are expected to comply with the College’s expectations. The possession or use of cannabis anywhere is prohibited by the College.

Am I allowed to use marijuana if I have a medical marijuana card?

Marijuana is considered illegal at the federal level; therefore, all marijuana use on campus is prohibited, regardless of where you received your card or how long you have used marijuana medicinally. Students with medical conditions that have been approved for medical marijuana by their provider should discuss alternative treatments that don’t violate federal law.

But what about the medical benefits of marijuana?

Many studies and health care providers suggest that cannabis is a viable treatment for some medical conditions. However, because marijuana has been illegal for so many years, very little research has been conducted on what harm it may cause over the long-term. Remember, reasonable people once thought that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol while pregnant were perfectly fine – until so many children were born underweight or with fetal alcohol syndrome and certain disabilities. There isn’t enough science to say definitively that cannabis is safe for everyone or even that it is healthy to use.

What if I qualify as a person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The College welcomes students and others with disabilities and seeks to remove barriers to their academic and personal success. The College also reserves the right to approve only those accommodations that are deemed “reasonable.” Putting the College’s mission and students’ ability to receive federally financial aid at risk is an unreasonable accommodation. We encourage you to talk with your health care provider and the Director of Student Success and Accessibility to discuss alternative treatments and to seek reasonable accommodations that comply with College policy.

How does the Illinois law apply to College employees and campus visitors?

The College’s employee policies govern behavior in the workplace, on campus, at all campus events, and at off-campus activities sponsored by the College. Employees who are convicted of a felony, at the state or federal level, face discipline. Faculty and staff with questions about the use or possession of marijuana should consult with their supervisor or area vice president.

Guests and visitors are obligated to respect College policies. Those who violate our policies may be asked to leave; failure to do so could result in legal action.

The academic community can in no way be considered a sanctuary from civil prosecution; individuals are reminded of their civil responsibility. Thus, the College will not obstruct civil authorities.

Upon the discovery or report of criminal offenses related to drugs in accordance to Illinois Law, Campus Safety will notify local law enforcement. Criminal offenses include the possession of marijuana exceeding 30 grams, drug distribution, and possession of controlled substances.

The illegal possession, use, abuse, distribution, or manufacture of narcotics, dangerous drugs, or hallucinogens by a member of the College community is considered a serious threat to the health and personal welfare of individuals and a violation of expected behavior.

The academic community can in no way be considered a sanctuary from civil prosecution; individuals are reminded of their civil responsibility. Thus, the College will not obstruct civil authorities. At the same time, as an educational institution, the College recognizes the appropriateness of handling certain cases of drug abuse individually and from an educational and/or counseling point of view.

Individuals are urged to reflect upon the threat to themselves, to review their attitudes and actions regarding drug use and abuse, and seek information and counseling. The Office of Student Affairs is prepared to deal confidentially with personal problems involving drug abuse. In addition, physicians enjoy by law privileged communication and can be of assistance. Information about the legal implications, the effects of various agents, and counseling can be obtained through the Office of Students Affairs or by calling x2113 for an appointment with the Counseling Center.

Narcotics & Drugs Disciplinary Sanctions

The following sanctions will be applied for violations of the Monmouth College Narcotics and other Drugs Policy:

• First offense: $150.00 fine
• Second offense: $250.00 fine
• Third offense: $300.00 fine
• Felony offense: Immediate report to law enforcement

In addition, these sanctions may be amended at the College’s discretion given the severity of the circumstances. Additional sanctions may be added including but not limited to, warnings, community service, substance abuse treatment, suspension, dismissal and immediate reporting to law enforcement.

Those sanctions received through the disciplinary hearing process may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Life or his or her designee. Decision by the Vice President for Student Life or his or her designee regarding these appeals are final.

Smoking, Vaping, and E-Cigarettes are prohibited inside or within 15 feet from exits and open windows of any College-owned facility or in any vehicle owned or leased by Monmouth College. Smoking, vaping, and the use of e-cigarettes indoor or in competition areas, including outdoor athletic facilities, is prohibited. Students found in violation of the College’s smoking policy should expect a disciplinary response from the College. A fine of $100 will be sanctioned

All members of the campus community share in the responsibility for adhering to and enforcing this policy, and for bringing it to the attention of visitors.