Almost one year ago, my four roommates and I began an endeavor
to bring a sports bar to UCLA. It started with a letter to the
Daily Bruin and a group on Facebook, which now has over 1,000
members.
To show that we are taking our objective seriously, we have put
the bar back on the college agenda.
With a new, more politically active leadership, we have devised
a plan of action to succeed where our predecessors have fallen
short.
In a meeting with the Associated Students UCLA board of
directors ““ where campus leadership representing
undergraduate students, graduate students and the administration
were present ““ we found that the Cooperage was originally
designed in the 1970s to accommodate an on-campus bar that would
service the UCLA community.
The bar never opened, and the Cooperage became another dining
facility at UCLA.
As we learned, the Cooperage will undergo a face-lift in the
near future to make it into an entertainment spot, and with the bar
capacity currently in place, we could see the dream of a sports bar
becoming a reality within two to three years.
The only issues we are facing today is opening the bar in a safe
environment in which the UCLA community respects alcohol laws, and
attaining a liquor license.
Also, one question we have constantly faced in all of our
meetings was whether UCLA students support having a sports bar on
campus.
We hope a student referendum showing overwhelming student
support will send a message to the administration and to our new
chancellor.
Recently the Undergraduate Student Association Council
unanimously voted to support a referendum vote. With this and the
gathering of necessary signatures, we will have a referendum
question for the undergraduate student body to vote on in the next
USAC election.
This is one of many steps in a long process we are taking to
create the bar and strengthen the UCLA community.
We hope that students will support a place to sit and drink a
cold beer with friends, alumni and fellow Bruins to cheer our teams
to victory. The services that a sports bar will provide would
benefit students of all ages, not just the 21-and-over crowd.
It is important that we have an inclusive environment for all to
unite and bond together.
Our current effort is taking a different route than prior
attempts to open a bar in that we are making our campaign public
and giving the student body a chance to support us through the
referendum.
I invite everyone to get involved by joining the Bruins for an
on Campus Bar Facebook group so we can keep you informed.
Most importantly, when the opportunity comes to voice your
opinion, unite in one voice with your vote and send the message
that we deserve a Bruin bar, a home for Bruin pride.
Marks is the president of Bruins for an on Campus
Bar.