The Kent State Anti-War Committee and the May 4 Task Force’s Beer Not Bombs program scheduled for tonight may go without the beer.

The program is intended to be a social gathering, said KSAWC member John Bradley Deane.

“We were banging our heads against the wall trying to think how to get people to participate, so we figured free beer and music was the way to do it,” Deane, senior political science major, said.

The program will go dry because of a waiver KSAWC did not sign to allow beer to be served at their event, said Della Marie Marshall, associate director of the Center for Student Involvement, in a voicemail message to committee member Dave Pittman Monday afternoon.

After he got the message, Pittman said he immediately went to the office for the Center for Student Involvement to try and sort out the issue.

Pittman, senior political science major, said he was under the impression that he could reserve a keg and pay for the beer consumed at the event through his bursar’s account, by distributing tickets to be redeemed for a 12-ounce draft.

“I was going to get 165 tickets for 165 drinks, which is a full keg,” Pittman said.

Jon Harper, assistant director of the Student Center, said the ticket system could not be used unless it was a catered event in a private room.

“Let’s say you get married and let’s say you want to have the wedding party in the ballroom,” Harper said. “If you have an open bar, we’ll give you these cards. If you want a three-drink limit, give each of your guests three tickets, but your family is paying for it, and it has to be a private room, and it has to be catered.”

Harper said he thought KSAWC was trying to get around the rules, but said it “was a mix-up from the beginning.”

Andrea Spandonis, Dining Services director, said her department cannot provide alcohol without the waiver from the Center for Student Involvement. Spandonis stressed the importance of filing necessary forms as soon as possible.

She said it takes up to five days to file the alcohol waiver because it is a legal document.

Marshall could not be reached for comment, though Spandonis said the Center for Student Involvement offered $150 of free pizza for the event.

Pittman said he wouldn’t refuse the pizza, but “we still plan on having the event, and we’re going to try to provide alcohol at no cost.”

Pittman said he would explore legal counsel about the short notice Marshall gave him about the waiver. He said the Center for Student Involvement knew about the event, and all the forms he knew about were filled out more than a week ago.

KSAWC started posting fliers around campus March 7 but had to revise the content of the flier, Deane said. The corrected fliers were up March 14, Pittman said.

Unicron, EP3, The Uncanny, Ashley and MC Homeless are scheduled to perform tonight, Deane said.

Contact religion reporter Pat Jarrett at [email protected].