Discussions with chaplain, Public Safety lead to new Postcrypt rules

The University chaplain said Thursday that discussions with Public Safety led to her decision to allow Postcrypt to operate without security.

Following a monthlong suspension, Postcrypt Coffeehouse will return to the basement of St. Paul’s Chapel next week without security for the first time in over a year.

Galen Boone, BC ’12 and the manager of the student-run music venue, credited the series of meetings with the Office of the University Chaplain and the Department of Public Safety with the lifting of the security staff requirement, which the chaplain imposed in December 2009 following concerns about underage drinking.

Last year the group agreed to stop selling beer, but members said they were upset and confused about why they were still required to hire a security guard to sit in on their Friday and Saturday night concerts.

In recent meetings with the administration, the group was “able to sort our misunderstandings,” according to Postcrypt’s student government board representative, Barry Weinberg, CC ’12.

Boone and Weinberg sent out letters to the chaplain last Friday with a list of concerns, including a request that the coffeehouse no longer have a security guard. Jewelnel Davis, the University chaplain and director of Earl Hall, then asked Public Safety for an opinion.

“Public Safety acknowledged that Postcrypt didn’t need a guard anymore,” Weinberg said, adding that the decision came about because of Public Safety’s close interactions with the venue last semester.

He explained that any special events will have to go through an event review with the chaplain’s office and Public Safety.

Postcrypt was put on suspension by the chaplain after booking its concerts one week after student programming was scheduled to end last semester. It has been holding shows at a venue downtown, but will return to its historical location on March 4.

Although the ’Crypt suffered economically because of security payments and the loss of revenue from bygone beer sales, no plans have been made to sell alcohol again. Weinberg said the Postcrypt board felt there were more important problems to sort out first.

Davis also said the prohibition on alcohol won’t change anytime soon.

“That decision was made a long time ago. We don’t have alcohol sold in the chapel,” Davis said, amending that some groups do sell alcohol under tight restrictions. “The art gallery has alcohol at some of its openings, but they have monitors and security.”

Security fees are currently not feasible for Postcrypt, which was entirely dependent on the Student Governing Board’s funding last semester, according to Weinberg.

“It wasn’t fair to Postcrypt to pay for security,” he said, adding that SGB increased the group’s funding allocation to try to alleviate the financial burden.

Postcrypt members have considered selling popcorn and coffee again, though a 2009 fire safety audit would require them to make it off-site. Although Davis said almost $20,000 have been invested in the room to make sure violations are fixed, electronic appliances are still prohibited in the coffeehouse’s venue.

“There’s been talk of brewing coffee and making popcorn somewhere else and bringing it in [to the venue] and bringing Postcrypt back to normal,” Weinberg said.

Regarding the past tension between the coffeehouse and the chaplain’s office, Davis said it was due to miscommunication. Previously, Davis’ office advised all SGB groups, but a change put SGB groups under the management of the Office of Student Affairs.

“We had not been meeting regularly with Postcrypt. Now we’ve re-established if Galen, or any SGB group for that matter, has any concern, they can contact us directly,” Davis said, giving the example of Postcrypt members’ wish to have dimmer spotlights. “Nobody in my office knew about that.”

Davis said she expects the coffeehouse “will be able to have the kind of safe event they want to have,” after the previous issues. “It’ll be good to have them back home.”

karla.jimenez@columbiaspectator.com