U Penn bills Chats as 'safe' student hang out - University of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Pennsylvania is offering a safe alternative to late-night off-campus hangouts -- an easy-to-reach campus location where students can gather together for drinks, snacks and conversation.

Chats, which will open early in September, is considered an "oasis of civility," where students can avoid danger and the social pressures of alcohol, according to Donald Jacobs, executive director of Hospitality Services at Penn.

"We are a pretty secure campus, but we were concerned about crime," Jacobs explained. "Because of some recent issues, the interim president decided to create the Trustees Commission for Strengthening the Community, a group that researched the problems on campus and tried to suggest some solutions.

"One of the things they recommended was a latenight environment that was nonalcoholic and safe for students to go and talk," he continued. "The place won't have heavy security, but there will be a few security guards around to offer reassurance."

Located at the Class of 1920 Commons dining area on Locust Walk, Chats is at the entrance to the campus. It will be open till 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.

"The thing that we have that no else does is a location on campus," Jacobs said. "That convenience gives us an advantage."

Jacobs and his team also solved another campus problem with Chats. Alcoholic beverages are offered at the social places students can go to late at night, and the pressure to drink can be strong.

Chats will offer students a coffee house, where the pressure to drink alcohol does not exist, a place where they can take a study break.

But opening a coffee house on a college campus is a risky venture. Jacobs' attempts to do so at other U.S. campuses failed because at the time there was no need for such places.

Now, however, things are different. Keeping Penn secure in a part of Philadelphia that is not safe is difficult. As crime rises across the country, the need for safer places for students has risen as well. Furthermore, the demand for gourmet coffee houses is on the upswing.

Chats derives its livelihood from student funds, and the administration at Penn is very enthusiastic about it and expects it to be a successful venture. They have worked hard on the plans and are creating promotional items to sell Chats to the students when they return to school in the fall.

"I think this is going to be the biggest thing to hit college campuses this year," Jacobs said. "We've planned a cookout during the first week, and everyone at the cookout will be wearing Chats Tshirts."

The food will include branded products, like Vie de France bakery items and Taco Bell fast-food products. Beverages will include espresso coffees, new age waters, Arizona Teas and Coca-Cola products. If student surveys show the need, pizza from Pizzeria Uno and Chinese food from Panda Express will also be added to the menu.

No cash is required for transactions at Chats. Students who are not required to have meal plans with the dining service to go there will use Value Cards to make purchases.

"Students will be able to put their student ID in Value Card machines located around campus," Jacobs explained. "Then they can transfer money, in $50 increments, to their Value Cards. Students can put up to $750 on their Value Cards. There will be no PIN numbers or codes to deal with."

A television will be available in an area set off from the main dining area so that noise from the television will not compete with student conversations. Also, students who want to study in Chats are welcome to do so. Jacobs said that purchases of food are not required; students can just go there to hang out.

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