As graduate students hung out with their friends ““ and
drinks ““ at the monthly GradBar in Kerckhoff Grand Salon
Wednesday night, many of them wondered why the Associated Students
of UCLA have not installed an on-campus pub yet.
Graduate students made several references to other University of
California campuses like Berkeley and San Diego, which are two of
the six UC campuses that have on-campus pubs.
“A bar is something that most campuses have, and this
campus lacks … certainly the interest is there,” said
third-year electrical engineering graduate student Kevin Geary.
Currently, transforming the Cooperage into a pub in Ackerman
Student Union is one of ASUCLA’s biggest priorities, said
Dria Fearn, who serves on the board of directors’ finance
committee.
Student Union director Jerry Mann said the GradBar event is a
good indicator of graduate students drinking responsibly.
“Grad students have had good success with the GradBar
effort … they’ve shown or proved that a pub could indeed be
a force to bring students together,” he said.
Mann added that ASUCLA will be working with student health
groups in order to educate people on responsible alcohol
consumption so that the drinking image could be improved.
ASUCLA hopes to add more game-room activities in conjunction
with the pub, such as more televisions on which to watch sporting
events, and more bands to perform on the stage.
“My hope is that alcohol would be just one part of
it,” Mann said.
Graduate Student Association director of graduate events Matthew
Hopper said GSA has endorsed an on-campus pub since the 2000-2001
school year when former GSA president Martin Griffin held
office.
Though a pub would promote graduate interaction and community,
Hopper said GSA doesn’t necessarily endorse an undergraduate
pub.
“We as grad students need our own place “¦ but until
there is a pub (on campus) we have GradBar,” he said.
The three-year-old monthly event, which usually generates a
turnout of over 500, originally started off as an experiment to
promote graduate socializing through a bar, Griffin said.
“It was an experiment that worked out,” Griffin
said.
Graduate students seem to have reached the consensus that an
on-campus pub would definitely improve their social lives.
“Undergrads have dorms (to socialize) but grads
don’t have that opportunity,” said fourth-year computer
science graduate student Kevin Eustice.
Eustice also said many of the different departments are
segregated. As a result, it’s difficult for history students
to meet engineering students, he said.
“Certain departments establish social events whereas other
departments don’t. We happen to be in one of those
departments (that don’t),” Geary said, referring to his
electrical engineering division.
Other students said an on-campus pub could be another place to
study.
“Instead of sitting in the library, you’ll be
sitting in the bar,” said first-year mechanical engineering
graduate student Brad Hirasuna, adding that it would be another
get-together setting for students who commute.
Though the concept of an on-campus pub appeals to most graduate
students, many still oppose it.
“I personally don’t drink … I don’t think
you need alcohol to socialize,” said second-year
ethnomusicology graduate student Laith Ulaby.
Ulaby explained he is not supposed to condone drinking due to
his religious beliefs, but would not have participated in the
drinking anyway.
“If there was a bar everywhere, it wouldn’t be
special,” he said. “This is an event, I’m not
here for the alcohol “¦ I’m just here to listen to music
and see my friends.”