PROVIDENCE –– For the third time in about as many months, the new president of the University of Rhode Island is overturning a long-standing ban on alcohol at campus events, this time seeking a permit to serve a full range of liquor at campus receptions, dinners and parties.

In August, just a month after he became president, David M. Dooley reversed a 15-year-old ban on alcohol at tailgating parties on the Kingston campus.

In September, Dooley decided to allow the company that manages the Ryan Center to sell beer and wine in the suites during basketball games.

Now, Dooley wants to give the right to sell alcohol on campus to URI’s catering division, enabling the university to serve liquor at athletic, social and fundraising events, and reap the profits.

Monday night, the Board of Governors for Higher Education voted in favor of the change, which URI officials said would generate higher food and beverage sales at catered events and “increase participation at alumni and [URI] Foundation special events held on campus.”

The board held its monthly meeting at 5 p.m. at Rhode Island College.

Dooley’s alcohol-policy changes mark a significant departure from the philosophy of his predecessor, Robert L. Carothers. Carothers served as president for 17 years before stepping down on June 30, and is widely credited with rehabilitating URI’s image in the 1990s as a top party school.

Carothers instituted a range of measures –– many of them initially unpopular with alumni –– to curb underage drinking and send a message that URI would not tolerate alcohol abuse. These include banning alcohol at all tailgating parties, athletic games and campus-sponsored events, and cracking down on off-campus parties in Narragansett, where many URI students live.

Carothers received national awards for his efforts and URI’s party school image faded.

Dooley said in previous interviews that Carothers’ policies had achieved their goal and that the university is now ready for alcohol at some campus events.

Thomas Dougan, URI’s vice president for student affairs, said that there has been no discernible increase in underage drinking as a result of the policy changes.

“We had about 75 alcohol-related sanctions during the first few weeks of school, which is in line with what we usually see,” Dougan said.

jjordan@projo.com