<div>IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT</div>
<div> </div>
<div>THE CAMPUS COFFEEHOUSE IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Sorry, I meant to spread the word several weeks ago re the imminent opening of the Coffee Bean but other urgent matters (!) intruded and distracted my attention. (But surely the preservation of public education in California can't possibly measure up in importance to the availability of new sources of java, I hear some of you muttering.) </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I took a little tour of the place just before it opened and was not overly disappointed. I mean, it's not the Cafe Trieste or Le Figaro Cafe, and it *is* being run under a corporate logo, but at least a few of the things I asked Cheryl Garner (Director of Dining Services) over the summer to make sure the coffeehouse offers have in fact been been done (such as having some comfortable lounge chairs). I did note that there's limited seating of any kind-- which I attribute to a corporate/ administrative impulse toward "crowd control" (which of course goes against one of the main objectives I had for the coffeehouse); but there is additional seating outside and all around the coffeehouse (and that part of the Commons in general), so people *will* be able to congregate in order to 'take counsel or tea' (to paraphrase Alexander Pope) or plan courses or revolution (that's me, not Pope) over a cuppa on campus now. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I had some suggestions about the kind of munchies they should provide and requested that they have a microwave to heat them up and also porcelain cups so one doesn't have to drink out of paper cups (which I'm sure we all agree is quite 'uncivilized'), but I forgot to check whether these requests were honored. I also lobbied to have the coffeehouse stay open late into the evening; again I'm not sure of the exact hours (they may be playing it by ear at the moment).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Finally, I argued for some promotional events to mark the opening (say, coffee at half-price; or one cup at full price and the next free), reminding Ms. Garner that we have all suffered great deprivation over the past two years without a coffeehouse on campus and that we therefore deserved a little break at the outset. She said that they were going to have a "soft opening" (which I gather means they want to open quietly and without great fanfare until they can assess the situation before they offer any promotional discounts or events). I will be getting in touch with her (or with Randy, the manager) in a couple of weeks to urge this matter forward. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I'm thinking of suggesting a "Happy Hour" (say, 4-6 or 6-7 p.m.) during which one can get a coffee drink at a reduced price. But since I'll be teaching until 8:30 p.m. next quarter that won't do me much good, so I'm also thinking about suggesting a "Twilight Hour" or "Soiree Hour" for those of us who won't be able to get there until 9-ish at night. Any other suggestions? Please let me know and I'll pass them along to Ms. Garner and/or Randy. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I hope all of you will consider tearing yourselves away from your favorite Starbucks (or whatever) off-campus and patronizing the new campus Coffee Bean instead (or at least in addition to). Going along with the renewed spirit of political activism currently on campus, maybe we as a department could 'occupy' the premisses of the coffeehouse and 'liberate' it for a day so that we can scarf up all the free coffee we can. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Well, just a thought. In any case, I hope to see some of you there in the near future.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Bon appetit (and 'bon cafe'),</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Carole</div>