The Pilot House is currently used as a study and hang out space for students (Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON)
The party might be closer to home next fall as the Office of Student Activities plans to roll out programming from midnight until 2 a.m. and create new student lounge space on weekends.
Converting the Pilot House into an all-ages nightclub with a 21 and over bar is currently one of many options the University is considering.
Jeromy Koffler, director of student activities, said in a way UP already has a campus bar.
"It's called the T-Room," Koffler said.
In the coming months, the Division of Student Affairs will decide whether a bar fits the overall mission of UP late night programming.
"If we felt that having a bar would be something students wanted and it had a positive effect, we'd be all for it," Koffler said.
According to Vice President for Student Affairs Fr. John Donato, Student Activities will run the Pilots After Dark program in conjunction with late night programming next fall. Student Activities also plans to hire a late night programming director as part of the expansion of nighttime programming at UP.
Creating a lounge space for informal activities is the top priority.
"We're looking into creating somewhere for students to go that isn't a set activity," Donato said. "(Students) walk in, be part of something and walk out."
Sophomore Catherine Spencer believes an all-ages space fills a niche for students.
"I feel like it could be a success for people who don't like to go out to places like 'Venue' or house parties," Spencer said. "Especially for freshman, where going off campus isn't as accessible because they don't have cars."
In November, Donato asked Maureen Doyle, general manager of Notre Dame's on-campus nightclub and bar, The Legends of Notre Dame, to visit UP to assess what might work for UP to develop more of a nightlife.
"You don't really have a place to go at night for students to hang out like a student center," Doyle said. "First you need to focus on a place to socialize."
According to Doyle, one of the biggest discussions Notre Dame had when it decided to convert its on-campus alumni bar into Legends was whether or not to continue serving alcohol. At the time, Notre Dame was on a list of schools with the worst alcohol problems.
"At its inception, people thought we would be promoting alcohol use on campus," Doyle said. "In actuality, alcohol is an afterthought at Legends. Our students really just wanted a place to hang out with friends where alcohol was available."
According to Doyle, a decade after Legends opened Notre Dame saw a 30 percent decrease in alcohol-related citations and arrests on campus and in surrounding South Bend, Ind.
"The point is to provide cutting-edge entertainment, and if you want to have a beer with your friends, that's fine," Doyle said.
UP Senior and Schoenfeldt RA Kyle McDonnell thinks a lounge and bar could provide community cohesion.
"It would give students incentive to live on campus longer and it would encourage off - campus students to come back," McDonnell said. "Especially if it were tied into the meal point system somehow."
According to Koffler and Donato, Student Activities will gather student input throughout the semester about what students would like to see in the space.
"Hopefully the program will grow organically," Donato said. "It's really meant to help serve the students."
The University is considering modeling a UP night club off of The Legends of Notre Dame, an on-campus bar at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The band OK Go performed for students on stage in the bar. (Photo courtesy of Maureen Doyle)
