A step in the right direction toward generating a better UR begins today on the third floor of Wilson Commons when The Hive officially opens its doors for an 18-month trial period at 6 p.m.
When faculty, staff and students walk into the newly remodeled space for the first time, they will be pleased with what they find. The pub sports a big-screen television, eight high tables and a stage for live performances.
When decorations are complete in several weeks, our new pub will rival anything that you can find off campus. We have little doubt that the new pub will become a prime location for students to hang out, and the work of many will prove a great success.
As an added bonus, the pub committee, which had originally planned the pub to be cash-only, decided last week to allow the use of declining balance and Flex accounts for food purchases in the pub.
This decision will help guarantee the financial viability of the pub experiment.
We have one concern, however.
When the Residential College Commission first proposed the idea of a pub four years ago, it was argued that the pub would become a good place for student-faculty interaction. Most recently, Students’ Association president John LaBoda said that the new venue would be a great place “to break down the invisible barriers” that separate students and faculty.
Attempts at breaking these barriers need to take place and the pub is a good start. However, the current hours of operation for The Hive will defeat any attempt at significantly accomplishing this goal. The pub, which will be closed Monday and Tuesday, will open for business at 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
By the time the pub opens its doors, most faculty and staff will have already left campus to return home to their families and won’t be able to mingle with students in the pub. If the pub is truly going to become a cornerstone of campus life ? not just student life ? the hours must be extended giving all the opportunity to utilize the new space to its fullest.
Congratulations to all of those who have been involved in the many years of work on this project. While your dream is being realized, make sure you do all you can for the pub to reach its full potential.
