FAQs for Alcohol Requests

1. Your department is having a function and alcohol will be served at this function. Once the form is completed, how should you submit an alcohol request? 

Your department representative must submit a Request for Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverages Form to the Office of Institutional Compliance (OIC) through the email box: [email protected]. 

2. Where can I find the Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverages Form on the University website? 

3. Do you have a list of items that are acceptable or any information, which would guide us in preparing the Official Functions Form? 

Our office is only responsible for the review and approval of Alcohol Requests. For specific questions about Official Function Form and acceptable purchases for events, please consult with the offices of President/COO/CFO ([email protected]) for their review and guidance.   

4. What are the steps of for obtaining signatures for Official Function Forms and Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverage Forms? 

First, the Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverages Form must be reviewed and approved by the OIC.

Then the alcohol form along with the official function forms would need to be sent to the offices of President/COO/CFO for their review and approval.

5. Do I need to answer both questions regarding minors? 

Yes, you are required to complete all the fields on the form. However, please note that, “What steps will be taken to ensure that alcoholic beverages will not be served to minors” is a separate question from “What steps will be taken to regulate the serving of alcohol”.   Please be sure respond to these questions accordingly.  If minors will be in attendance, your processes should include an id check to ensure no alcohol will be served to any minors.  In addition, regarding alcohol serving regulation, it is our recommendation that your department will utilize tickets, hand stamps/wristbands, or a cash bar to regulate the servings of alcohol.

6. The duration of the event is from 5:00p.m. – 10:00p.m. Can I submit the Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverages Form for review and approval? 

Yes, however, since this is an exception to the policy, a justification (provided in the form of a letter or email) must be approved in advance and included with your submission. Pursuant to UTHealth Houston’s HOOP 9, Alcoholic Beverages policy, “Alcoholic beverages may not be served at any University-sponsored or -affiliated event for more than three hours in the course of any event, nor later than 10 p.m”.

7. What is required from your office for requests that are not submitted at least 10 business days before the event as required by policy? 

The HOOP 9, Alcoholic Beverages policy requires for your department/School to provide a justification (provided in the form of a letter or email) for this delayed submission, since this would be an exception to the Policy. Please remember that the Request form must be submitted a minimum of ten (10) business days prior to the event.

8. I need to purchase TULIP Insurance for an upcoming event as we are expecting to invite attendees who are not UTHealth Houston students and/or employees. Can your office guide me in the right direction to get the process started? 

Yes, for information about purchasing TULIP Insurance Liability Coverage, please contact the Risk Management and Insurance program at (713) 500-8100.

9. The department has an annual event that will be held on a Friday. We want to serve alcohol from 12:30p.m. - 3:30p.m., which will occur during our usual working hours. Would the request be denied?

No, not necessarily; however, a written justification (provided in the form of a letter or email) must be approved in advance prior to the event and included with your submission.

10. Do we need to provide the signed department prior approval form for reimbursement on holiday luncheons or any other related supporting documents with our alcohol request submission? 

No, a prior approval form for reimbursement on luncheons is not needed. The department representative only needs to submit a Request for Permission to Serve Alcoholic Beverages form to OIC. If alcohol will be served at the event, a form must be submitted. If the department/School decides not to serve alcohol, the department must also be sure to inform OIC of this change. You may contact us via email at [email protected].

11. We are planning a series of events that will occur on the 1^st Tuesday of each month for the next six months. Is it okay for our program to submit a “blanket request to get approval for all of these events? 

No. Per the HOOP 9, Alcoholic Beverages policy, the Request form must be submitted for each separate occasion upon which the event is held.

12. The “Sponsor” for our event will not be able to attend an event that was already approved by OIC. What steps should be taken to ensure compliance with alcohol use at this event? 

Per HOOP 9, Alcoholic Beverages policy, employee or student/resident organizations or departments hosting the event must designate a staff or faculty member as a “Sponsor” who will be present during the event to assist in its management. This Sponsor may not consume alcohol during the event. As such, you should immediately designate another staff or faculty as the “Sponsor” for the event and advised him or her that they cannot consume any alcohol during the event. You should also update the OIC regarding this change in sponsor as soon as possible.