Two days ago Hotung re-opened to great fanfare for throngs of excited students waiting to get a panini and a bottle of Sam Adams to slake their thirst and fulfill all their fantasies of an on-campus pub.
Unfortunately for many of them, Dining Services had implemented policies requiring either a passport or a Massachusetts ID for purchasing alcoholic beverages as well as a limit of two drinks per student - unbeknownst to the student body, the Tufts Community Union Senate and even Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman.
Dean Reitman professed to be just as perplexed by the regulations as the rest of campus. While he acknowledged that the policy was likely the product of legal concerns, he expressed his view that "there should be another way ... that works better," and he said that a simple Tufts ID could suffice.
Thankfully, one of these unforeseen rules has already been changed.
While it is still unclear as to what the permanent regulations will be in terms of the current two-drink limit, students are now able to show their Tufts IDs and their non-Massachusetts IDs to purchase alcohol.
What remains unresolved is why parties intimately involved in the planning of Hotung's re-opening were completely unaware of these starting policies.
This reflects poorly on Dining Services, demonstrating a very clear breakdown of communication.
The renovation of Hotung is a project taken on by students and the administration; the work was largely seen as the product of a successful and synergetic relationship.
Unfortunately, it would seem that we still have work to do in that area. Yes, the re-opening of Hotung was somewhat chaotic, and lines of communication do sometimes break down. Yet because so many Tufts students hold out-of-state IDs and do not regularly carry their passports, the inconvenience caused by these regulations should have been foreseen.
This project has been in the works for months, and it seems reasonable that Dining Services could have prepared workers to recognize valid out-of-state IDs in time for the opening.
If that was not possible, it is unreasonable that Dining Services' rules were not made clear to students before opening day.
The unexpected rules soured a day that students have anticipated for months.
Throughout extended construction, Tufts students have been patient and flexible, and we will remain so. However, we must ask that all parties make more of an effort to communicate in the Hotung process.
Hopefully, Tuesday's disappointment can be a reminder to all of us for the need to cooperate as the new Hotung finds its niche on campus.
