Open/Closed Social Events Policy

The online Student Handbook is produced as a resource for the students, faculty, staff, and administration of Dickinson College. Content is subject to change. Please contact the appropriate person or office to obtain the most current information.

Dickinson College does not discriminate on the basis sexual orientation or legally protected characteristics such as race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, or military status. Its social policies reﬂect this commitment and strive to promote a campus-wide sense of community. In order to foster such an environment and to provide college organizations with choices based on purpose of social events, resources and support of the institutional mission, the college policy on open and closed social events is:

1. Closed Social Events

This means the social event is open to organization members only.

a. All College organizations holding social events on College-owned facilities or premises may designate their social event as “Closed” when the purpose of the event supports this designation.

b. Two or more organizations may co-sponsor a “Closed” social event in College-owned facilities or premises which are open to members of the co-sponsoring organizations only. Co-sponsorship involves use of the resources and assumption of responsibility for compliance with college policies in an equal manner by all organizations involved.

2. Social Events Open to Members and Invited Guests

If a social event is open solely to organization members and their invited guests, the only restrictions which can be made in advance regarding a guest list are on the basis of:

a. Past behavioral problems

b. Minimum age

c. Status as a member of the Dickinson College community (student or potential student, faculty, administrator, staff, alumnus/a, parent/family member, trustee)

3. Open Social Events

An “Open” social event is one with no invited guest list and upon which no limits or restrictions on access are imposed. If a social event is open to the college community at large, the same restrictions listed under #2 apply. The only persons who may not be permitted access to an open social event are those whose behavior in the past has caused problems, those below the minimum age, and/or those who do not belong to the college community.

Note: Any organization whose inter/national bylaws and/or insurance guidelines contain restrictions on the type of social event the organization may host must comply with those restrictions.