ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release) – The South Dakota Board of Regents has unanimously approved an expanded alcohol sales policy for all regental universities, including Northern State University.

The new policy, which will be in effect at the start of the 2022-23 school year, allows universities to expand alcohol sales to general admission areas of athletic events. Northern will implement this change at campus athletic events starting with home football games this fall.

The effort began with a South Dakota Student Federation letter asking the Board of Regents to change the current alcohol sales policy, which limited sales to specially designated box seats or loge areas, according to a BOR news release. The Student Federation includes leadership from each of the college’s student governments, including Northern.

“This change came from a request from South Dakota public university students,” BOR Executive Director Dr. Brian Maher said in the news release. “We’re seeing a move toward general admission alcohol sales at collegiate events across the country; it seemed like a good time to revisit South Dakota’s policy as well.”

The new policy includes specific criteria, such as defined start and end times for alcohol purchases, at least one designated alcohol-free zone, and purchasing locations separated from general concessions.

Details of Northern’s plans for football games will be finalized in the coming weeks, with a plan for basketball games to follow, and will be available at nsuwolves.com.