Future of Chet’s in Question

Benjamin Engle

The kegs at Union College’s unique campus bar, Chet’s, have been empty since last spring as the establishment continues to face legal issues.

Chet’s, located in the Rathskellar on Wednesday nights, was an extremely popular hangout among students 21 and older. While it is owned by the college and has Dining Service oversight, Chet’s operates like a club. Union students are the driving force behind the bar’s weekly operation and success. Students who work there are required to go through an interview process and must pass TIPS, a bartending class.

While popular with students, according to Malcolm Dennison, vice-president of Chet’s, the bar struggles to break even, “Licenses and insurance are pricey and the beer sold does not always cover all the expenses.”

Besides the cost of the bar’s operations, liability issues continue to keep Chet’s closed. “The company that Chet’s buys it’s beer through does not want to be held legally liable for what happens at Chet’s when there are students behind the bar instead of their own employees,” Dennison said. “At the same time, Union's insurance will not cover the bar either.”

Students involved with Chet’s have been in contact with Union’s food service provider, Sodexo, the college administration, and Union lawyers since last spring in order to have the bar operational by the third or fourth week of the fall term, however, without the appropriate licensing and insurance documents, Chet’s has been unable to operate.

Chet’s President Jared Iacolucci believes that while work still needs to be done regarding the liability of the bar, the future of Chet’s looks bright, “I am optimistic that the two sides will come to an agreement and we will open this year.”

Dennison believes, however, that without support from the administration to convince Union’s lawyers to draw up new and insurance plans, Chet’s will not be able to operate again. Currently, Chet’s doesn’t have the proper beer licenses necessary in order for it to serve alcohol on campus.

With on-campus bars becoming rarer in recent years, Chet’s supporters believe that having the bar open is necessary not only for tradition, but for the safety of students.

"Lots of students go out to bars on Wednesday nights,” Iacolucci said, “and Chet's is a fun and safe alternative to the bars off campus.”

With the recent regularity of off-campus crimes, Dennison believes that Chet’s is the safest place to be for students who want to go to a bar on Wednesday nights, “It seems strange that with so many crimes happening at the bars right off-campus that the school isn't happier with kids staying on campus and drinking in a safe environment.”

According to Dennison, Chet’s has never had any serious issues with Campus Safety, Schenectady police, student health, or “anything else that would normally jeopardize the survival of a licensed organization.”

“We've never had to send kids to the hospital, we've never had a fight, and we've never had a robbery anywhere near the bar,” Dennison added, “The disappointment of alumni as well as current seniors is one the main reasons I feel so strongly about revitalizing Chet's and making it what it once was.”

Originally published in Union's Concordy on October 16, 2008.