Student Assembly

MEMORANDUM
Why a Pub is Needed More Than Ever Before:
An Addendum to Previous Late Night Programming Reports
10/20/2011

Presented by: Natalie Raps ‘12, Robert Callahan ‘14, Adam Gitlin ‘13, Adam Nicoletti ‘12, Alex Bores ‘13, Dan Freshman ‘12

In previous reports, the Late Night Programming Committee had cited the lack of an appropriate venue for student-led late night programming as one of the largest impediments to on-campus programming. The committee recommended that appropriate steps be taken to create a venue with consistent hours of operation, especially during late night hours, that offers an assortment of food and drinks in order to bring together students from all different parts of campus.

Historically, there has been a prominent location for students of all ages to gather socially on campus. Especially with the changes to the Greek Recognition Policy that has occurred over the last semester, there are few, if any, social outlets for underclassmen available. Consequently, a typical weekend night in Collegetown entails groups of freshmen wandering through the streets looking for any type of party. Because many venues that used to provide late night entertainment are no longer available it has thus lead to riskier situations for both upper and lower classmen. For example, those living in Collegetown are now experiencing a surge of underage students at their private events, even if that was not their original intent.

In addition, with little regulation in Collegetown as compared to that provided through the Greek system, ‘hard’ types of alcohol are often more prevalent than the usual beer and wine. The high levels of public intoxication, urination and medical transports as compared to previous years are testaments to how much and how often alcohol is abused due to a lack of a consistently safe yet entertaining social outlet.

Now more then ever the idea of establishing a Campus Pub�a venue which could break down the barriers of the Cornell Community�is needed to establish a different type of social culture on our campus. Recently, President Skorton has addressed student leaders urging us to find viable solutions to end high risk drinking and find additional social outlets.

The creation of a Pub is our answer to this question. The Pub will enable students from all different segments of campus to mingle and enjoy programming organized by fellow students in a fun, safe and regulated environment. The Pub committee has now been established and it is an additional venue for student creativity. It also serves as a testament to students who care about changing the culture of our campus and are committed to finding tangible results. However, to ensure the participation and sustained volume of upperclassmen who are of legal drinking age it is important that alcohol be served. While ensuring the mingling of students is the main argument for serving alcohol, there are also many arguments beyond simply needing to attract upperclassmen to serve alcohol at the campus pub.

The creation of a University regulated, over-under venue has important benefits for students who are under the legal drinking age. The university requires a social scene which provides music, dancing and a social environment that appeals to all members of the community. Currently, the only scene which offers this, and which is also generally associated with alcohol in our society, is the Greek system. A compelling reason the music/dancing Fraternity social scene is successful, compared to the many University sponsored attempts at replicating this scene on-campus, is because both underclassmen and upperclassmen participate. Collegetown bars do not allow underage students to enter, though many underage students attempt to participate. Thus, if a student wishes to attend a fun music/dancing social scene which upperclassmen also attend, their only option is to go to a Fraternity party, regardless of their desire to consume alcohol.

Beyond student’s demonstrated desire for a music/dancing social scene, students have also demonstrated a desire to mingle in a more low-key, over-under social scene. Both upperclassmen and underage students currently employ the Regent Lounge in the Statler Hotel to mingle in the afternoon. This current campus amenity, which isn’t necessarily meant for student use, has demonstrated its effectiveness at bringing different segments of campus together in a responsible and regulated fashion. However, the Regent is only used in the afternoon and does not cater to students during the late-night hours. The campus pub will be able to replicate this successful over-under serving model and expand it into the late-night hours. One can make a similar argument about the Bowling Alley as a successful over-under location. Upperclassmen and underclassman mingle responsibly in the presence of alcohol however the only activity which occurs is bowling. Therefore, the bowling alley only caters to people who enjoy bowling, and does not provide late-night social appeal to many students.

Currently, the Pub Committee has determined that there will be a monthly rotation of events. Every Wednesday will be trivia night, Thursdays include open microphone night with live talent and Friday and Saturdays are reserved for larger events for student organizations. We are planning on holding events ranging from Bring Your Own Professor (BYOP) to watching Live Cornell Sports games in the Pub, with even more events being planned weekly. There is a commitment from students to provide the programming. With its unique space and its social environment students can learn to be around alcohol without engaging in high risk drinking behavior.

Cornell University espouses the ideal of being a “LIVING and learning environment.” It cannot be denied that alcohol is a part of our society and that the majority of social activities after college occur in the presence of alcohol. However, the only opportunity underclassman have to “live” around alcohol and potentially learn about a responsible manner of use is in the Fraternity party scene. Currently, underage students are only exposed to drinking in the manner which occurs in the Fraternity scene. The establishment of a campus pub will expose these students to a safe, regulated and responsible drinking environment. The pub will provide a social venue where the focus is not drinking but the larger environment (e.g. conversation, food, music) and student-organized programming. The campus pub will also demonstrate how one can consume alcohol without any pressure (or the ability) to binge-drink. The environment created by the Pub will show both over and underage students how alcohol does not have to be the center of a social activity.

The creation of a campus pub is a much needed space to create a fun, safe and responsible social environment which will attract all members of the Cornell Community. Programming provided by Student Assembly funded organizations will ensure the creation of a social environment which appeals to students. Serving alcohol in a regulated fashion is not a departure from what currently occurs in other areas of campus, yet it will help to break down the barriers of our segmented campus and will work towards achieving the University’s mission of teaching students have to live and interact in a safe living and learning environment.

Signed By:

Natalie Raps,
President, Student Assembly

Robert Callahan,
Chair, Pub Committee

Adam Gitlin
Executive Vice President, Student Assembly

Adam Nicoletti
Vice President for Finance, Student Assembly

Alex Bores
Undergraduate Student Trustee

Dan Freshman
President, Interfraternity Council