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Space in Campus Center basement not yet filled: Students and administrators are considering a campus pub, but nothing will be decided for at least a year

BY SARAH PIERCE AND KEVIN MARCOU

Even after the last construction workers have vacated the new Joseph F. Rosenfield '25 Campus Center in the next month, the massive building won't be done yet. And this isn't worrying administrators.

A large space was left vacant in the basement of the Campus Center to allow for later expansion. Vice President for Student Services Tom Crady and a committee including students will be deciding how to fill the space over the next year. One prominent idea is to put a campus pub there.

"We aren't going to do anything with it for a year" said Crady. "We think it is important that we live in the building for awhile and see how it's being used."

Part of Crady's reasoning is the shape of the space itself. "It's kind of an odd space" Crady said. "It is broken up into sections. There is some shell space that we put down there so we would have an opportunity to have some expansion space at one point. But it is not as big as people think it is."

Crady hopes to discuss the pub idea with SGA President Chris Hall '07 and a committee consisting of students, faculty, staff and dining services employees. However, President Russell K. Osgood would have the final say after the committee would come to an agreement.

Hall said he is in support of the pub idea so long as it coincides with student opinions. "The biggest issue for me is making sure that student input is the chief proponent of whatever that space is used for," said Hall.

Hall said many students see a campus pub as a potential way to bring students together. "I would be interested in having it be a social hub," said Hall, "I think it would be a nice replacement for some of the things that the Forum has lost."

Crady said several obstacles are in the pub's way. "The issues are legal issues, and looking at ways to try to do it in a way that will be appropriate for the college," said Crady.

Hall agreed. "There are always going to be issues from the student affairs side-making sure that kids don't get drunk as hell and having it be a liability issue on the college's shoulders."

In order to deal with these problems before they start, Crady wants his future committee to examine the successes and failures of pubs on other college campuses. "What I want to do is find out what is going on at other campuses, and how their pubs are working," said Crady. "At most campuses it has been successful for students drinking responsibly."

One of Grinnell's peer institutions, Carleton College, has a pub on campus. Aaron Weiner, a current University of Virginia Law student and brother of Becca Weiner '08, graduated from Carleton College last June. While at Carleton he often enjoyed the campus pub, The Cave.

"[The Cave] was a pretty chill place," said Weiner, "It was a cool place to hang out."

The Cave is an entirely student-run establishment that includes a student venue for nightly performances. Due to alcohol restrictions, the pub does not serve any hard alcohol and all beers served are at or below 3.2 percent alcohol content. These restrictions not only keep vandalism and rowdiness at The Cave very low, Weiner said, but they also ensure that students over 21 continue to go to local bars in order to find a wider selection. The Cave also serves food, allowing students under the age of 21 to enjoy the pub.

"The point wasn't to go to the Cave and get tore up," said Weiner. "The Cave was a nice place for mixed groups."

Jimbo Sadler-Tanzosch '88, owner of Jimbo's pizza and the Down Under Pub in town, doesn't think that a campus pub would affect his business. He believes that an on-campus pub would create an environment with more police that wouldn't be attractive to student drinkers.

"As a licensed beer establishment, the police will be able to come in anytime and check for underage drinking," said Sadler-Tanzosch. "We get checked once or twice a day. Essentially, I think it'll create a bigger police presence on campus."

Hall remains optimistic however: "As long as people voice their ideas and are willing to bargain and agree to disagree along the process of creating whatever it is, I think it could be a huge success and something that could be fun for students."

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