Re-signing ceremony celebrates 15 years of the Tavern Owners Agreement

SUNY New Paltz will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Tavern Owners Agreement and the launch of two new community collaborations encouraging safe and responsible behavior by students, on Tuesday, March 25, at 2 p.m., in the College Terrace.

Robin Cohen-La Valle, the associate dean of students, said, “We are proud of our 15-year partnership with the town and village, and know of no other campus-community in the country where all of these components of prevention have been adapted by taverns.”

To mark the anniversary, New Paltz Tavern Owners Association members will re-sign an updated agreement, originally established in 1999 by college, town and village officials, to promote responsible and lawful consumption of alcohol and appropriate civic customer behavior. The agreement emphasizes the necessity of being 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages and that establishments avoid advertising drink specials, in print or social media, that promote high-risk drinking or sexually exploitive drink specials.

In addition, taverns will post “Respectful Community” signs, reminding patrons to be considerate and respectful of neighbors, and “Think Before That Last Drink” posters in their establishments. These campaigns, which complement the “Good Neighbor” and “One Less” initiatives on the New Paltz campus, encourage students to make responsible and safe decisions.

“These unique and important collaborations reinforce our commitment to the safety of our students and community members as well as our continued efforts to help our students be good neighbors and decrease alcohol and noise-related incidents,” said Dr. Raymond Schwarz, associate vice president for student affairs.”

According to Schwarz, as of January 2014, SUNY New Paltz students who display disruptive or illegal behavior in town will receive a letter from the college indicating its awareness of such behavior and a reminder that such incidents may be subject to the campus judicial process.

Speakers at the March 25 re-signing ceremony will include: New Paltz President Donald P. Christian; Robin Cohen-La Valle, associate dean of students; Michael Beck, Tavern Owners Association; Susan Zimet, town supervisor; and Joe Snyder, New Paltz police chief.