Hoping to provide an alternative to off-campus and fraternity parties, the Campus Social Board and Dining Services have held a series of parties in the main quad of West Campus this fall.
These "beer gardens" are set to continue into the semester, with events Oct. 16, Oct. 23, Oct. 30 and possibly Nov. 6.
Student involvement in the first two parties-held Sept. 11 and Sept. 18-exceeded organizers' expectations. Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst described the event as "extraordinarily successful from a morale standpoint" and called the student response "overwhelmingly exciting."
At a meeting of the Off-Campus Housing Committee, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Dean Sue Wasiolek said that although the beer gardens concept was devised before the recent conflicts between students living off campus and local residents, "[it] is an example of the creative solution we're looking for."
The large student turnout appears to affirm this belief, planners said. According to Trinity senior Brandon Busteed, chair of the Campus Social Board, the first of the two beer gardens was attended by about 1,800 students. Of this estimated total, 1,400 students purchased either food or beer using food points. Attendance figures have not yet been compiled for the second event, but Busteed expects them to be significantly lower due to the inclement weather that day.
Despite the large attendance, the event was not a financial success. The University lost about $6,000 on the first beer garden. Although Wulforst maintained that the focus of the beer gardens has never been profit, he conceded that something must be done to defray University costs.
Most of the money allocated for the event went to catering. Wulforst said the University spent $7,000 to provide food for the event and sustained a significant loss in this area.
The most popular proposal to erase the deficit is to offer residential groups the opportunity to cook and sell food using materials supplied by the University at wholesale prices. Wulforst said he favored this proposal because it would reduce the financial burden on the University and add the fun of a barbecue-style cook-off between residential groups.
Students on West Campus seemed enthusiastic about future beer gardens but say they would like to have the events extended to midnight or 2:00 a.m.. Wulforst said this option was a possibility.
"Student behavior at the first two events was exemplary," he said. "No arrests were made, and at no point was security required to step in to prevent disorderly conduct." Wulforst said that given this fact, the University will lengthen the events if there is significant student support.
Plans are also in the works to continue the beer gardens in the future. The Campus Social Board hopes to hold five of the parties in the spring. "In my mind, and from others' comments, the 'beer gardens' are a huge success," Busteed said. "The fact we are holding them is a success, and the thought of having more adds to the success."
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