In an attempt to be rid of the commonly misconceived notion that Hopkins is a dry campus, JHU Student Council hosted a party at HopStop -- the new name for E-Level -- on Saturday night.
Hopkins has been stressing it is not a dry campus and hopes that the recent opening of HopStop will accentuate their stance. Held in both HopStop and Levering's Great Hall, the party featured a live DJ and a bar serving alcoholic beverages.
"I hope that HopStop brings the party back to campus," said StuCo President Atin Agarwal.
The grand opening of HopStop kicked off on Saturday at 9 p.m. Outside Levering, party-goers were greeted by an assortment of live bands, including Hopkins's own DeFawnk. Use of the Great Hall provided the space to fit 300 people, yet a reported 800 students attended over the course of the night.
StuCo reported that HopStop pioneered a new approach to ensuring the safety of its patrons while serving alcohol. Drinks were sold with the aid of bracelets, where one to four drinks could be purchased for $1.50 each. For every drink that a student received, a mark was made on their bracelet. Once a maximum of four drinks had been consumed, the bartender marked the student's hand in permanent ink, which demonstrated that the student could no longer purchase alcohol. StuCo reported that they hoped the four beverage limit would keep students from over drinking.
Although the opening of an on-campus bar seems to be a major development, it was done so under existing campus rules. Outside contractors who serve liquor commonly cater to administrative functions and other Hopkins events. HopStop uses this rule to bring in an outside caterer to keep the bar stocked. For patrons who desire non-alcoholic beverages, sodas are readily available.
The 300 non-drinkers who attended HopStop benefited from the lack of a cover charge. Unlike most clubs, students were free to just come and enjoy the atmosphere. The DJ provided music and the extra space available by the inclusion of the Great Hall allowed comfortable room to chat and dance.
An anonymous student said, "It's an awesome dance club and it's so much fun." When asked if they would return, they replied in the affirmative.
Hopkins and StuCo hope that HopStop will revitalize E-Level, an on-campus bar in the same location that was closed six years ago due to underage drinking. The previous E-Level had its own liquor license until it was revoked by the Baltimore City Liquor Board.
HopStop uses the liquor license of a contracted vendor, and new precautions against underage and unsafe drinking are in place to keep it in business.
Administrative support for the HopStop has been strong, as it is seen as a safe, legal atmosphere for students. StuCo also cites advantages of attending HopStop events to include the safety of the well-lit campus, the lack of non-Hopkins students and a strong presence of security.
StuCo said that plans for the future of HopStop are underway. Renovation will bring new TVs in time for the next event, which is being planned to occur in two weeks. StuCo is continuing to gauge student response to the event and will make adjustments accordingly.
"So far student response has been great. So many people have asked me if we were doing it again," Agarwal said.
Agarwal was pleased that HopStop opened up the year's StuCo events.
"When I was elected last year, I said I wanted to raise the profile of the student council. I promised to throw a party at E-Level and we did. Almost 800 people showed up, making last night just a preview of the incredible things we have planned," Agarwal said.
