Hillsdale’s 21-and-up crowd is out of luck this April, as Centralhallapalooza will not feature a beer tent for students of legal drinking age, according to Dean of Women Rebekah Bollen. 

“It came out of a general conversation about when and where alcohol is present at student events, not with the idea of removing alcohol from campus events — we still have alcohol present at senior class events and various things like that,” Bollen said. “But we are making sure it’s meaningful.”

There are many reasons for this decision, according to Bollen. The college has owned its own liquor license for the past few years, and Bollen said liability is one of the factors. 

“With owning the license comes an increased responsibility for how we manage alcohol at all student events,” Bollen said, adding that the scope of CHP presents a legal challenge. 

“The larger the event, the more people, the more alcohol is being served,” Bollen said. “You’re always inviting more liability concerns.”

Not having a beer tent will also allow the Student Activities Board to allocate funding into other aspects of the CHP experience, Bollen said. 

“The Student Activities Board is teeming with awesome ideas,” Bollen said. “This decision practically gives them more budget to work with.”

This decision is not permanent, Bollen said. 

“The SAB team always does surveys post-event,” Bollen said. “We’re hoping and expecting that students will give feedback, and if this is something that everyone has an opinion about after they experience it, we hope they fill out the survey.”

The administration will assess the beer tent on a year-by-year basis, according to Bollen. 

“Anytime a student has a question or is frustrated, reach out and have the dialogue with us,” Bollen said. “Conversation really helps us get to a much greater area of understanding.”

Bollen said students of age should watch for an invitation to a 21-and-up event featuring alcohol at the Phi Sig Pavilion during CHP week. 

“We thought Phi Sig Pavilion was a great add on,” Bollen said. “I understand the rite of passage element, especially if you’re a junior and senior.”

Senior Abigail Celecia said she is sad about the administration’s decision. 

“The beer tent symbolizes community, friendship, love, and joy,” Celecia said. “I understand that the college is trying to take the right precautions to keep its liquor license, but the real question is, at what cost? We see the college stand up and fight all the time. Why not for beer? There will be a sadness in our hearts for our last CHP, and the worst part is we can’t even say cheers to the hard work we’ve put in.”

Senior James Hamilton said a beer-tent-free CHP will still be enjoyable. 

“While I understand any unhappiness at the college’s decision, the beer tent at CHP is not the best part of the event — not even close,” Hamilton said. “You shouldn’t need the free alcohol to have a good time. And if you really think you do, we all know that there will be plenty of other opportunities to drink that day. If you’re upset about the beer tent’s absence, don’t worry; chances are, you won’t remember much of the event at all.”

According to senior Noah Northon, the administration’s decision will not alter his CHP plans. 

“If I wanted to revel under the CHP tent in past years — bibens usque ad hilaritatem — I would have to be discreet,” Northon said. “Now that I am a senior of age, I will have no other option but to do the same. There is an odd sentimentality to this — even a perfection.”