I was disappointed that Kilroy’s decided to move forward with a facility built on the dubious premise that students need to be in proximity to a bar to enjoy an evening with friends in a place as culturally rich as Bloomington, and I expressed those concerns to the owner over the summer.
The events of the last week, which included gross and insensitive social media posts suggesting that patrons visit Recess for the “underage girls,” and a flippant reference to drinking to black out as a fun goal, have confirmed my deep concerns that the ownership is not serious about enforcing responsibility in its establishments. If the ownership was serious about this issue, the employees would never have thought that messaging like this was appropriate or funny.
Alcohol abuse is a serious issue on every college campus, especially large ones. Indiana University-Bloomington provides comprehensive alternatives for students interested in alcohol-free activities and programming, including a world-class cinema, pervasive arts programming that includes more than 1,500 performances each year and more than 700 student clubs and residence hall groups that plan hundreds of activities each week. I encourage students to find a home in these activities and to avoid places that make disrespect for women and for the safety of our community a part of their marketing plans.
Lauren Robel
Provost
