Keg prices reduced by $10; bartenders remain expensive

By JESSICA MOULTON

In an effort to quell student dissatisfaction with the costs of University Catering keg parties, dining services officials have lowered their keg prices by $10.

"We are trying to adjust to [the new alcohol policy] to make sure we can apply the service that is desired," said Jane Fandray, general manager of University Dining and Special Events. "Obviously, we would like to see students happy with the service we provide them."

The new fee-which is $58 for Busch Light, the most commonly purchased keg-consists of the wholesale price of the keg plus $10 for disposable service wear and ice. All student groups who held keg parties earlier this year have received rebates retroactively.

Under the new alcohol policy, student groups who want to have kegs at parties must purchase the kegs and hire bartenders from University Catering. While the Interfraternity Council has banned its members from using kegs, other student groups have held about 12 such parties this year.

The price of hiring bartenders for a party has remained at about $150 since the beginning of the year. Groups typically must hire two bartenders, who each charge $15 per hour and work for five hours.

The new reduction is the latest in a series of adjustments in keg prices made by University Catering. A Busch Light keg costs $80 at Sam's Quick Shop, located near East Campus. Initially, before a special rate for student groups was established, University Catering sold it to students for $88.

Both Fandray and University Catering Manager Susan Stedman said that University Catering is operating at or below cost in their sales. The $10 surcharge is not enough to cover the costs of other overhead factors, such as administrative costs, Stedman said.

Student reaction to the most recent change has been favorable, although many student groups still find the entire cost of a keg party to be prohibitive.

"The keg prices are now very fair, but the cost of bartenders is still very high," said Trinity junior Todd Tober, immediate-past social chair for House CC. "I don't think that they need to have two at each party," Tober's group has had about five keg parties this year.

Trinity junior Takcus Nesbit, Duke Student Government vice president for student affairs, said the reduction is an improvement but does not address the bigger problem-the cost of bartenders.

"I don't think that the goal [of the original policy] was to deter people from using kegs but to create an atmosphere of low liability and safety," Nesbit said. Now that we've had a semester to look at it, we can see that cost has been a deterrent. It is a system we need to work on."

While the Alcohol Policy Committee did not intend to require student groups to use University Catering, it found that this group was the only organization which was both reliable and willing to provide the service to students, said Kathleen Wallace, assistant dean of student development.

Committee members tried to contract outside caterers to give students other options, but none were willing to provide the service because of the liability involved, said Wallace, chair of the summer Rules and Regulations Committee for the alcohol policy.

The committee also considered certifying students, but found that this option was too risky, Wallace said. "There was really no way to oversee these bartenders after they had gotten this piece of paper saying they had been to this eight-hour course," she said. "After talking to University Counsel, we determined that the liability to the University was too great."