Clubs alter on-tap rules for Preview weekend

gone off tap in previous years

The decision came in light of the University’s extension of Princeton Preview from one weekend to two, said Tim Prugar ’06, graduate adviser of the ICC. Non-member undergraduates are also precluded from visiting the clubs on both Thursdays.

Prugar said that going off tap for both Thursdays would not be in the club members’ interests. “The clubs had to balance their obligation to the University with their obligation to the seniors in the club who just finished their theses and would like to celebrate with their friends,” Prugar said.

In an e-mail sent out this weekend to members of Cloister Inn last week, club president John Lamonaca ’09 echoed the sentiment that “no one wants to be off [tap] two weekends in a row obviously.” Lamonaca declined to comment for this article.

The clubs’ decision to remain open, though only to members, raises concerns about the safety of allowing alcohol to be served while a large number of underage students are on campus and looking to explore Princeton’s social scene.

Prugar said that the members of the ICC, which includes all 10 club presidents, carefully deliberated over the risks before making their decision and reached the conclusion that going members-only would not create a significant risk. Several club presidents declined to comment for this article.

The ICC’s decision was not reached haphazardly, Prugar said, adding that “if there were any concerns about safety, the clubs would not go on tap this weekend.”

“With all of the safeguards that the clubs have taken great pains to put in place, there are zero concerns about the safety of the clubs, or more importantly, the pre-frosh,” he explained.

Prugar emphasized that club officers and bouncers will be checking PUIDs at the door and wrist-banding members over the age of 21.

“Ultimately, the clubs have enough confidence in the safety measures that they have in place that they can provide a fun and safe environment for those thesis-finishing seniors while keeping out individuals who should not be there,” Prugar said.

Former Alcohol Coalition Committee member Alexander Cantwell ’11 said that making clubs members-only means that prospective students will not be able to visit all the clubs, thus lacking exposure to an important facet of the campus social scene.

While Cantwell said he thinks that “it’s the clubs’ responsibility not to go on tap while pre-frosh are there,” he believes that the clubs nevertheless “should be open, because the Street’s an integral part of social life [at Princeton].”

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Yesterday evening, Cap & Gown Club hosted a salsa-dancing Alcohol Initiative (AI) event. In previous years, some clubs were also open during April Hosting, offering AI events such as Colonial Club’s showing of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and Quadrangle Club’s Bollywood-themed party.