With Admit Weekend in full swing once again, the taps have stopped flowing.

Under the Admit Weekend alcohol policy, current students may not serve, provide or make alcohol available to prospective freshmen (ProFros). No alcohol may be present, served or consumed at any organized student group functions during Admit Weekend.

The official Admit Weekend policy was enacted in 2001 under the leadership of Vice Provost for Student Affairs James Montoya in response to a serious alcohol poisoning incident involving a ProFro. Since then, little change has been made to the policy, though the University has initiated more training for House Hosts and increased collaboration among University units involved in Admit Weekend.

“Students of legal drinking age are still allowed to drink,” said Director of Student Activities Nanci Howe. “With pub night for the seniors scheduled on the Thursday of Admit Weekend, the group organizing the event is responsible for running the event.”

Drinking still occurs on campus as well, though on a much more moderate and inconspicuous scale.

“I think people observe the dry policy more the first night,” said Jeff Mendelman ‘09. “There’s less drinking on campus during Admit Weekend, but the dry policy doesn’t stop it completely.”

“Admit Weekend changes the drinking atmosphere at Stanford,” Mendelman added. “Usually Stanford encourages an open door drinking policy, but during Admit Weekend drinking is behind closed door and really hush-hush.”

Several students observed that during the dry Admit Weekend, many upperclassmen dissatisfied with the dry campus policy take the party off campus.

“I think there’s a small culture of fleeing during Admit Weekend because of the dry policy,” Mendelman said. “My friends and I left campus last year during Admit Weekend.”

There is also debate regarding the legitimacy of the dry policy in providing an accurate representation of the social scene at Stanford.

“The dry policy has its good and bad points,” said Ed Cho ‘09. “It’s definitely good to have a dry policy because it severely impairs ProFros’ ability to get alcohol, but at the same time it really excludes them from a very significant social aspect of Stanford University.”

“The dry policy doesn’t really show ProFros what the alcohol environment is like at Stanford, which should be considered during the college selection process,” Cho added.

Both ProFros and current students who break the dry policy face severe punishments.

“There are serious consequences for ProFros who break the policy,” said Health Promotion Services Manager Ralph Castro in an email to The Daily. “These students can be sent home, or in very serious cases their admission can be revoked.”

Students who violate the Admit Weekend dry policy face the same administration action process that is in place throughout the year.

“These students will be required to meet with their Residence Dean and required to attend an alcohol education seminar or assessment at Vaden,” Castro said. “In more serious and egregious cases, these students will be referred directly to Judicial Affairs. Also, students can be cited by the Police for alcohol-related infractions and be required to appear in Santa Clara County Court.”

“If a group disregards the Admit Weekend Alcohol Policy, then they will be referred to the Organization Conduct Board where a confidential investigation will be launched,” Castro added. “These groups risk being placed on alcohol probation or suspension or in serious cases losing University recognition and/or privileges.”