Throughout most of its history, Hopkins had an on-campus bar in Levering Hall that was extremely popular among juniors and seniors. The Rathskeller, or “The Rat,” was a central feature of campus nightlife — a disco even more than just an alcohol source.
The Rat went the way of history, though, and today we are left with little more than a small cafe, a TV and some sofas. But the idea of an on-campus bar, sponsored by the University, has returned via a somewhat unlikely source: the official recommendations of the Alcohol Strategy Group.
In the wake of the much-publicized alcohol-related crimes and misbehavior that have occurred at Hopkins over the past year, the University compiled a task force of students and administrators to evaluate the current situation and make recommendations on how to improve the safety of Hopkins drinking culture. The group released its recommendations earlier this week. Though much of the report emphasizes the need to enforce policy that is already in place, the task force had some intriguing ideas, as well as some recommendations that were quite unfeasible.
The alcohol committee sought a return back to the glorious days of The Rat and recommended that a bar be placed on campus — possibly in the planned student center — to provide a safer place for students to drink. Their recommendation reflects concerns about dangerous fraternity parties and walking around Charles Village at night, inebriated. The Editorial Board wholeheartedly supports the idea of reviving the University bar for the reasons above but also because it would be, frankly, pretty awesome.
A bar situated on campus would allow for security personnel to be present, and it would eliminate the drunken treks through Charles Village that make students so susceptible to thefts and muggings at night. It would, of course, only admit of-age students, and so this problem ostensibly does not address underage drinking issues. But if upperclassmen, the owners of the houses where parties are thrown and the procurers of the alcohol, are present at the bar and not their houses, underage drinkers will not have a place to imbibe.
As with any new program the University tries to implement, a concern will be lack of student interest. Many people would likely eschew University property when trying to have a good time, but past precedent suggests that drinking on campus is more fun than it might seem. And for students who don’t fall into the fraternity party scene, a real alternative nighttime alcohol-serving hotspot is a very attractive thought.
For the still-skeptical, perhaps the University could attract more interest for a campus bar if it revised its rather draconian policy about hard alcohol. The advisory committee report recommended that that the University begin to actually enforce a policy that no one really knew existed. It declares that at events held by registered student organizations — whether on campus or off — only wine and beer can be served. So as of right now, any fraternity house throwing a party and serving their specialty mixed concoction is violating University policy. This policy is obviously wholly unenforced at the present, and we do not see a strong value in reaffirming it. Though hard liquor could be less safe than drinking beer or wine, attempting to enforce this policy would be futile and unsuccessful.
If the University decides to pursue the very smart idea of an on-campus bar, it will never succeed with an unrealistic and unpopular policy forbidding mixed drinks, hard liquor and shots. Therefore, the Editorial Board recommends that this aspect of the alcohol strategy group’s otherwise very reasonable report be disregarded.
But let’s get back to the real idea here: an on-campus bar. Picture Levering Hall with its leather sofas, fireplaces and smooth wooden paneling. Now picture it with a bar. Pump in some smooth jazz instead of the usual Top 40 hits, install a wine rack, and it would likely be the classiest move Hopkins has made since 1896.
We’ve got our campus bookstore souvenir shot glasses ready. Cheers.
