Current students will enjoy den revamp

The ability to serve alcohol at the Huskies Den is a step in the right direction when it comes to pleasing current students and attracting prospective Huskies.

The Huskies Den is one of the areas being targeted in the Holmes Student Center renovation, for which construction is set to begin in fall 2018. Included in the renovation of the Den, which houses entertainment options including a bowling alley and pool tables, is the addition of a staircase to the Blackhawk annex and a sports grill where alcohol will potentially be served.

Approval of the renovation plans will be put to vote during a Thursday Board of Trustees meeting.

Ian Crone, Holmes Student Center director, said officials need to consider whether serving alcohol will “promote and enhance community” before making a final decision about whether the beverages will be made available, according to a Dec. 4 Northern Star article.

If officials want students to spend their time and money on campus, serving alcohol in an area that already features appealing entertainment options is a smart way to do it.

About 60 percent of college students regularly consume alcohol, according to a May 26, 2016, study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. That makes for a way to entice at least more than half of the student population to relax and enjoy themselves on campus.

Not only will serving alcohol help students to build an affinity for their university and create revenue; it will also provide a safe location for them to drink recreationally in the wake of the spike in local gun violence, as the student center is monitored by university employees and located beyond the area in which the crime has been concentrated this semester.

This type of service would also align with Student Involvement and Leadership Development’s off-campus social events policy, which requires that hard liquor not be served at sanctioned parties held by student organizations. The policy could serve as a tried-and-true guide for how employees at the sports grill would go about serving alcohol.

Though the ability to appeal to students will surely be enhanced, officials may be understandably wary of the liability issues that would arise by allowing students to drink on university property. To help assuage any potential fears, officials should consider serving only beer and wine; students will still be attracted to the space even in the absence of hard liquor.

Besides, who doesn’t enjoy a game of pool and an ice-cold beer?