Spring Break
SGA approves bill to fund coffeehouse
Mug successor set to open its doors next semester
Abby Haun & Cristina Zapata
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Sports & Clubs
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According to sophomore history major and SGA senator Michelle Gautreau, who wrote the resolution, a coffeehouse would increase a sense of community and tradition at UST.
"Everyone says there is a lack of commuter spirit on campus," Gautreau said. "So what I want is the coffeehouse to be the beginning of a tradition in the University."
Once completed, the coffeehouse will serve to give UST students another place on campus where they can relax and enjoy time with their friends, Gautreau said, adding that the idea for creating a student-run coffeehouse stemmed from the past proposal of a creating a pub on campus.
"Instead of focusing on the alcohol aspect, which would not tailor to everyone's needs all the time, I decided to focus instead on a coffeehouse," Gautreau said.
SGA'S vote of approval for the coffeehouse resolution came nearly five years after UST's previous student-run coffeehouse, The Mug, shut its doors in fall 2003 because of financial woes and impending competition from the student lounge, which would open approximately one year later.
"Although [The Mug] was a partial success, the area wasn't conducive to a coffeehouse," Gautreau said. "People want to have a good atmosphere."
The Mug was located upstairs in Crooker Center. Gautreau plans to house the new coffeehouse in the Old Bookstore, downstairs in Crooker Center.
The new coffeehouse will most likely not be owned by Aramark, so students with meal plans would not be able to use their flex dollars to purchase anything, Gautreau said. Because Starbucks products are sold in the student lounge, the new coffeehouse would have to find a different brand, she said, adding that she did not think that competition would be an issue.
"If anything, it would help boost business by keeping people in that area," she said.
According to SGA President Josh Gautreau, the idea for a new coffeehouse also sprouted from the growing grievances put forth by students who say they feel as though there is not enough space on campus to relax.