The University canceled the "Cafe After Dark" event scheduled for this evening in Chancellor Green Cafe after it was unable to secure a permit for the renamed pub night.
"Basically, the University is not able to move forward with what has come to be called 'Cafe After Dark' because we never received a permit," University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said. "We applied for a permit, but at a point [Thursday] afternoon it became clear that there would not be enough time to make the personnel plans."
Cliatt explained that Cafe After Dark required the participation and advance coordination of Dining Services and other University employees.
"None of that could happen at the eleventh hour, because we had not received the permit," she said.
The Cafe After Dark initiative, formerly known as the University Pub or simply "pub night," has been plagued by bureaucratic obstacles since the widely-acknowledged success of the original pub night, which filled Chancellor Green Cafe to capacity April 14.
After the first pub night, Borough officials objected to the University's use of the events to gauge demand for a permanent campus bar. Subsequently, the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) revoked the permits the University had already obtained which would have allowed it to serve alcohol at three other planned pub nights.
In response, University officials canceled the pub night scheduled for April 28 and held a meeting April 20 with top Borough officials in an attempt to address municipal concerns.
As a result, the University modified its event proposal and reapplied for permission to serve alcohol at the May 12 pub night.
The May 19 pub night was canceled because it conflicted with final exams.
In addition to other concessions, the University changed the name of the May 12 event to "Cafe After Dark" after the Borough objected to the word 'pub' in the title, Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson said last week.
"We thought that we had an agreement with the Borough three weeks ago today that the permits would be processed expeditiously, but they were not signed by Borough until Thursday [May 4] and not able to go to the ABC until Friday [May 5]," Cliatt said with audible disappointment. "As of this morning, four days later now, the ABC had not approved them."
When asked if the University had any regrets about its approach in securing approval for the Cafe After Dark initiative, Cliatt said "I think it could have beneficial if the Borough understood what the University's goal here was ... It was unfortunate that it was not seen from the outset as providing a venue for our faculty, staff and of course students [of legal age] to enjoy a responsible social environment."
USG vice president and pub committee member Rob Biederman '08 notified USG Senate members of the pub night cancellation yesterday afternoon.
"It's obviously disappointing in light of how well the first pub night went. And we will do everything within our power to make sure that it returns in some form next year," Biederman said in an interview.
Related
— Pub opens in Chancellor Green (April 17, 2006) — Legal issues jeopardize nascent pub's future (April 21, 2006) — University changes pub name, seeks new permit (May 5, 2006)Read More
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