GSA withdraws support for on-campus pub to foster own community
By Dorothy Augustyniak
Oct. 17, 2002 9:00 p.m.
A resolution in support of an on-campus pub was withdrawn at the
Graduate Student Association Forum meeting Wednesday night.
The resolution was withdrawn because GSA members want the pub
space to be available for their social gatherings and events
without undergraduates being present.
Dorothy Kim, GSA vice president of internal affairs, said with
three undergraduates to every graduate, the campus and its services
are shifting to accommodate the majority.
“We need a place where we can go after a certain hour with
no undergraduates, have a drink, and talk with other graduate
students,” Kim said.
Graduate student representatives on the ASUCLA Board of
Directors along with undergraduates and members of the ASUCLA
management have brought up the idea of an on campus pub
repeatedly.
Many graduate departments do not host social events or provide
opportunities for graduate students to meet other students within
and outside of their departments.
Through Grad Bar, a monthly social gathering in its third year,
GSA is trying to expand get-togethers to tighten the campus
graduate community.
Charles Harless, president of GSA, said “an on-campus pub
in Ackerman Union would give graduate students a sense of
community. We want them to feel that they belong to UCLA, not just
their department.”
Campus pubs are nothing new to college campuses.
Jerry Mann, ASUCLA director of student union and student support
services, said close to 100 campuses nationwide have pubs, of
which, 8 are on the California State University campuses and 6 are
on UC campuses.
Mann said the goal is to have members of the UCLA community who
are over 21-years-old gather and associate with other students from
different departments.
“My overall goal is to create a venue that will be
successful,” Mann said.
With a pub on campus, Mann said the environment must be
comfortable enough for students, faculty and staff to socialize and
have a meal, along with an alcoholic beverage.
Matt Hopper, a GSA committee member, said graduate students are
often isolated in their respective departments; most use e-mail as
their preferred mode of communication, and the majority commute and
do not want to associate with undergraduates.
Some graduate students are not aware of the possibility of
having a pub on campus.
Cindy Lee, a third-year dental student, said an on-campus pub is
not worth establishing on campus.
“I don’t see why the school wants to have a pub on
campus. I use all my free time to study.”
Some graduate students see an on-campus pub as a necessity to
get away from the books.
Andrzej Jeronski, a second-year medical student, said he no
longer enjoys his graduate school experience.
“I am always in lab or studying. A pub would be a great
escape from reality and a time to relax,” he said.
Harless said GSA wants to have an on-campus pub open within the
next few years.
A new resolution including specified times for only graduate
student pub use will be proposed within the next few months, he
said.
