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Alcohol To Be Sold At University Athletic Events Following Approval Of Northwest Board Of Regents
ANNA BAILEY | News Editor | @AmBailey1
Dec 11, 2025 Updated Dec 11, 2025
Northwest President Lance Tatum gives his president's report at the conclusion of the Dec. 11 Board of Regents meeting. A major agenda item at this meeting was the Alcohol on University Property Policy to allow alcohol to be sold at campus athletic events.
DAKOTA OSWALT | Managing Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
The Northwest Board of Regents approved to amend the Alcohol of University Property Policy to allow alcohol to be sold at athletic events on campus, during its meeting Dec. 11.
Director of Athletics Andy Peterson presented this proposal. The amendment will allow for anyone who can legally drink to purchase alcohol at concession stands before and during games. He said this update would specifically be present in Bearcat Stadium and the Bearcat Arena.
“The implementation, I think, is fairly simple,” Peterson said. “It’s not going to cost us a ton of money to pilot this or to enact it. We have the spaces in the stadium to do so we got to get a little creative, probably, with Bearcat Arena. I think the intent of this today, with this policy, is to allow you folks to discuss it, and if you approve it, we would put this into play for next fall with football.”
Peterson said this idea was brought up by many fans and alumni so they may enjoy the amenity at the events they attend. He said he understands the stigma around alcohol being available at athletic events.
“I believe…the data would show in the last few years — many years — that (the stigma is) a little bit unwarranted in terms of policing, citations, arrests and those sorts of things,” Peterson said.
Peterson said along with Northwest, there are only two other Division II football playing schools that do not sell alcohol at athletic events; Missouri Southern State University and the University of Nebraska Kearney.
Regent Jason Klindt said large schools that allow alcohol at sporting events have not seen a negative impact, but a positive one. He said among discussion regarding this policy, prior to the Board of Regents Meeting, a large topic was the culture that surrounds allowing alcohol at on-campus sporting events.
University Police Chief Amanda Cullin recognizes UPD Lt. Marcus Holmes for his response during a medical emergency earlier this semester. Cullin said Holmes performed life-saving CPR when freshman Isabel Thomas had a stroke in Franken Hall.
“They (other schools) have not seen a large amount of arrests,” Klindt said. “You showed data from big 10 and big 12 schools showing that it actually had the opposite effect. There was actually less arrests because it’s not incentivising folks to go out and drink too much before they come into the game.”
Chair of the Board Mel Tjeerdsma said he appreciates the comparison brought to attention of other universities in regards to this police change.
He said if this was proposed 10 years prior, he likely would have said “No,” however, the discussion around the topic is changing.
“Personally, I would favor it,” Tjeerdsma said. “I think it’s something that we have to keep up with.”
The vote was approved 6-1, with Regent Steve Black opposing the amendment.
Also discussed during the meeting is a change coming to Northwest leadership. University President Lance Tatum said in his report that Vice President of Student Affairs Matt Baker will be leaving Northwest to begin his new role at Emporia State University as its University President. Baker officially takes office March 2, 2026.
“I know Matt is going to do an incredible job because there’s one thing about Matt Baker that I have learned in the two and a half years that I’ve been here…Matt loves people, and people are deeply important to him,” Tatum said.
Tatum said a search to fill the position will begin at the beginning of the 2026 spring semester.
ANNA BAILEY | News Editor | @AmBailey1
Dec 11, 2025 Updated Dec 11, 2025
Northwest President Lance Tatum gives his president's report at the conclusion of the Dec. 11 Board of Regents meeting. A major agenda item at this meeting was the Alcohol on University Property Policy to allow alcohol to be sold at campus athletic events.
DAKOTA OSWALT | Managing Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
The Northwest Board of Regents approved to amend the Alcohol of University Property Policy to allow alcohol to be sold at athletic events on campus, during its meeting Dec. 11.
Director of Athletics Andy Peterson presented this proposal. The amendment will allow for anyone who can legally drink to purchase alcohol at concession stands before and during games. He said this update would specifically be present in Bearcat Stadium and the Bearcat Arena.
“The implementation, I think, is fairly simple,” Peterson said. “It’s not going to cost us a ton of money to pilot this or to enact it. We have the spaces in the stadium to do so we got to get a little creative, probably, with Bearcat Arena. I think the intent of this today, with this policy, is to allow you folks to discuss it, and if you approve it, we would put this into play for next fall with football.”
Peterson said this idea was brought up by many fans and alumni so they may enjoy the amenity at the events they attend. He said he understands the stigma around alcohol being available at athletic events.
“I believe…the data would show in the last few years — many years — that (the stigma is) a little bit unwarranted in terms of policing, citations, arrests and those sorts of things,” Peterson said.
Peterson said along with Northwest, there are only two other Division II football playing schools that do not sell alcohol at athletic events; Missouri Southern State University and the University of Nebraska Kearney.
Regent Jason Klindt said large schools that allow alcohol at sporting events have not seen a negative impact, but a positive one. He said among discussion regarding this policy, prior to the Board of Regents Meeting, a large topic was the culture that surrounds allowing alcohol at on-campus sporting events.
University Police Chief Amanda Cullin recognizes UPD Lt. Marcus Holmes for his response during a medical emergency earlier this semester. Cullin said Holmes performed life-saving CPR when freshman Isabel Thomas had a stroke in Franken Hall.
“They (other schools) have not seen a large amount of arrests,” Klindt said. “You showed data from big 10 and big 12 schools showing that it actually had the opposite effect. There was actually less arrests because it’s not incentivising folks to go out and drink too much before they come into the game.”
Chair of the Board Mel Tjeerdsma said he appreciates the comparison brought to attention of other universities in regards to this police change.
He said if this was proposed 10 years prior, he likely would have said “No,” however, the discussion around the topic is changing.
“Personally, I would favor it,” Tjeerdsma said. “I think it’s something that we have to keep up with.”
The vote was approved 6-1, with Regent Steve Black opposing the amendment.
Also discussed during the meeting is a change coming to Northwest leadership. University President Lance Tatum said in his report that Vice President of Student Affairs Matt Baker will be leaving Northwest to begin his new role at Emporia State University as its University President. Baker officially takes office March 2, 2026.
“I know Matt is going to do an incredible job because there’s one thing about Matt Baker that I have learned in the two and a half years that I’ve been here…Matt loves people, and people are deeply important to him,” Tatum said.
Tatum said a search to fill the position will begin at the beginning of the 2026 spring semester.
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