Danbury News Times, CT
07-06-06
New campus center to include pub for students
By Heather Barr
The new campus center on Western Connecticut State University's westside campus will include a pub where students of legal age can drink wine and beer.
The small room in the new 49,000-square-foot center will be built with a bar, said Tom Curran, WestConn's director of planning and engineering.
"I think it's good," said Imran Qazi, 25, the Student Government Association's president for the coming school year.
While there are concerns about students getting drunk, Qazi said a bar on campus could make sure only those 21 years old and over are served alcohol and monitor how much alcohol they are served.
He thinks that having a pub on campus could prevent students from drinking and then driving a car, because they could walk from the pub to their dormitories. In addition, the pub would have limited hours that wouldn't interfere with classes.
"Other universities have this," said Qazi of the pub.
In the state, Connecticut College in New London has an on-campus bar and Yale University in New Haven has a bar in its Graduate and Professional Student Center.
Other universities with on-campus bars include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, the University of Florida, Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia and Iowa State University.
Walter Bernstein, WestConn vice president for student affairs, said students were involved in deciding what they wanted to have in a new campus center. The pub was one thing they wanted.
Tom Curran, WestConn's director of planning and engineering said the pub area will be used for overflow seating when the cafeteria is full.
He said could see beer and wine being served, but the pub won't have a fully stocked bar. Any one wanting to drink must provide a valid WestConnect student ID and show they are 21 years old or over, he said.
Bernstein said it would be good if the drinks were served during limited hours in connection with fun activities such as Monday night football or karaoke.
He thinks it would be great if the pub area was a place where students could listen to music, get a bite to eat, or read.
A group of faculty, staff and others will look at how the space can best be used.
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