McGill's famous (at least to me) Thomson house is having financial difficulty and is restructuring, according to an article in the McGill Daily.
For those not familiar, Thomson House is the grad centre for McGill, a lovely old Montreal home converted into a luxurious private club for grad students.
As an undergrad I used to gain entry by getting "signed in" as a guest of my friend, a fellow QPIRG staffer doing her MA at McGill.
I look back nostalgically on the beautiful wainscotting, small cozy rooms, the gorgeous ball room upstairs (used for dances and movie screenings) and the dingy basement caf ($3.99 dinner! -- ok it was prego pasta sauce on spaghetti), and in truth it is my dream to bring more of that cozy, club like, atmosphere to the Halpern Centre. Without the Prego on spaghetti or sign in sheet.
We have achieved some of this in our renovation by making the smaller "David Clode Room" a grad student hangout centred around the fireplace, and we are currently purchasing some new furnishing (booths!) for the large room in the restaurant. Also, we finally have some art back on the walls after many trips to the Maltwood where their patient staff let us comb through their offerings looking for just the right thing.
Today, I am fascinated by the story because I, too, deal with housing a restaurant within a grad students' non profit, and trying to find the best way to structure everything to make sure its not too expensive, it feels like grad students' own space, and we don't lose a ton of money! The world is not designed for businesses who aim to make things both high quality at a low cost for members, and running a bar is a risk for anyone, not less for a non profit student government. Those who attend our AGM's have heard me and executive members speak about the tough times we had a few years ago, and also know we have managed to rebuild financially, although we are always nervously watching the books... but I have no doubt McGill's PGSS will rebuild as well--Thomson house is too good to lose!--and I wish them luck with all the work ahead!
Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Grad House Opens Sept 8
At long last the renovations are done!
Amand and Alyshia (above) are among the staff returning (in groovy new shirts!).
We are celebrating the completion of the Summer of Renovations with a low-cost barbecue lunch September 8.
We are also opening at 10 am Sept 8 and selling coffee and cookies prior to the lunch rush.
Regular opening hours 11:30 am.
Come by and check out the spanking new kitchen!
Some new features to watch for:
New menu featuring fresh, local food
During renovations our Chef and Manager, Alan King-Jones toured farms all over southern Vancouver Island. The Grad House will feature lots of local fare--all our meat, seafood, eggs, cheese, milk and yes, hazelnuts (!) will be from southern Vancouver Island. As much of the produce will also be local, whenever it is in season. All smoked food will be smoked in house now--including salmon, tomatoes, and chicken. Don't worry--your favourites like yam fries and the house-smoked chicken sandwhich will still be there!
Watch for our menu launch at the end of the month!
David Clode Room offers grad student hangout
You asked for grad student space, and you got it. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday the small half of the restaurant is a lounge for grad students and has no food service. The small room is being renamed the "David Clode Room" in honour of Mr. David Clode who served UVic students for over 40 years and retired this summer. David was an AMS chair, then manager of the AMS, helped found the GSS, was a key part of founding the UVic childcare, and has been a tireless supporter of students for his entire working career. We will miss having him on our side in the meetings with UVic admin!!
We recognized a restaurant doesn't always feel like the best place to spread out your books and study, or to bring your own lunch, so the David Clode will be open whenever the building is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (ie 8am to 9pm) for grad students to come hang out by the fireplace, bring your lunch, read a book. We are moving the lovely flat screen tv in there, along with all the comfy couches. Come by and relax in your space!
The Grad House will expand into the David Clode Room and offer table service on Thursdays and Fridays.
Take home dinners
Beginning this fall the Grad House will offer dinners you can pick up and take home on those long nights of studying when cooking seems impossible to manage. All in compostible containers made of corn that can go in your oven!!
New look for meeting rooms
We know grad students want to have social meetings for students in their departments--but when you need to book the restaurant the minimum catering charges can be too much for a student group. It was often the case that people didn't want to have their social meeting in the meeting rooms because they were too officey. So... we have repainted the meeting rooms (rooms 108-112) a warm brown colour that does not look like an office, and will be making them truly multipurpose as we upgrade the furniture over the next year.
Amand and Alyshia (above) are among the staff returning (in groovy new shirts!).We are celebrating the completion of the Summer of Renovations with a low-cost barbecue lunch September 8.
We are also opening at 10 am Sept 8 and selling coffee and cookies prior to the lunch rush.
Regular opening hours 11:30 am.
Come by and check out the spanking new kitchen!
Some new features to watch for:
New menu featuring fresh, local food
During renovations our Chef and Manager, Alan King-Jones toured farms all over southern Vancouver Island. The Grad House will feature lots of local fare--all our meat, seafood, eggs, cheese, milk and yes, hazelnuts (!) will be from southern Vancouver Island. As much of the produce will also be local, whenever it is in season. All smoked food will be smoked in house now--including salmon, tomatoes, and chicken. Don't worry--your favourites like yam fries and the house-smoked chicken sandwhich will still be there!
Watch for our menu launch at the end of the month!
David Clode Room offers grad student hangout
You asked for grad student space, and you got it. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday the small half of the restaurant is a lounge for grad students and has no food service. The small room is being renamed the "David Clode Room" in honour of Mr. David Clode who served UVic students for over 40 years and retired this summer. David was an AMS chair, then manager of the AMS, helped found the GSS, was a key part of founding the UVic childcare, and has been a tireless supporter of students for his entire working career. We will miss having him on our side in the meetings with UVic admin!!
We recognized a restaurant doesn't always feel like the best place to spread out your books and study, or to bring your own lunch, so the David Clode will be open whenever the building is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (ie 8am to 9pm) for grad students to come hang out by the fireplace, bring your lunch, read a book. We are moving the lovely flat screen tv in there, along with all the comfy couches. Come by and relax in your space!
The Grad House will expand into the David Clode Room and offer table service on Thursdays and Fridays.
Take home dinners
Beginning this fall the Grad House will offer dinners you can pick up and take home on those long nights of studying when cooking seems impossible to manage. All in compostible containers made of corn that can go in your oven!!
New look for meeting rooms
We know grad students want to have social meetings for students in their departments--but when you need to book the restaurant the minimum catering charges can be too much for a student group. It was often the case that people didn't want to have their social meeting in the meeting rooms because they were too officey. So... we have repainted the meeting rooms (rooms 108-112) a warm brown colour that does not look like an office, and will be making them truly multipurpose as we upgrade the furniture over the next year.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Rename the IQ contest
Hey! We are renaming Room 114 (currently "IQ Bistro") because I just cant take being made fun of for using an acronym that claims "intelligence" at the same time as misspelling "quisine" for one day longer.
Got a great idea of what the grad students's restaurant should be named? Submit it to gsscomm@uvic.ca --you could win a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant formerly known as IQ.
What about the small side, you ask? Well that is just about the worst kept secret on campus... what has happened to your gossip networks?
Got a great idea of what the grad students's restaurant should be named? Submit it to gsscomm@uvic.ca --you could win a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant formerly known as IQ.
What about the small side, you ask? Well that is just about the worst kept secret on campus... what has happened to your gossip networks?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Dig it!
There's really no going back now! The digger is in the back ripping out our GSS delivery drive.
I must say I greet this with a bit of relief. Deadlines for completion being what they are, and the demand for construction workers being so high, I was nervous the whole week between the GSS Executive approving the release of capital funds, and the various levels of approval going from my notice up to the Vice President Finance office, and then the letter to the contractors to say they can go ahead.
Hopefully, now all our various levels of approval and bureaucracy are done, construction will speed along handily. (I will keep you posted on progress!)
I must say I greet this with a bit of relief. Deadlines for completion being what they are, and the demand for construction workers being so high, I was nervous the whole week between the GSS Executive approving the release of capital funds, and the various levels of approval going from my notice up to the Vice President Finance office, and then the letter to the contractors to say they can go ahead.Hopefully, now all our various levels of approval and bureaucracy are done, construction will speed along handily. (I will keep you posted on progress!)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
It's a go!
In an exec meeting June 9, the GSS accepted a bid for kitchen renovations and office renovations from PRIMA construction. PRIMA is already working on several projects at UVIC.
The cost of the project, along with associated capital costs, is within the budget approved by GSS members at the Special General Meeting, and the GSS does not anticipate borrowing any funds to complete the work.
Al, the restaurant manager wasted no time in selling the old kitchen equipment. June 10 most of the kitchen equipment was removed.
Mike was kind enough to allow me to record the moment he removed the salad prep table for blogging posterity! (Good old prep table!)
One thing I will certainly not miss is the display case (commonly known as the "evil muffin coller" around the office. We have been putting off the removal until the renovation for as long as I have been here--since removing it leaves a huge gaping hole in our bar on the small side of the restaurant. This it sat, full of creamers and catsup.
Noisy and ugly, I look forward to our new bar where once this beast sat gurgling and whirring its fan.
The cost of the project, along with associated capital costs, is within the budget approved by GSS members at the Special General Meeting, and the GSS does not anticipate borrowing any funds to complete the work.
Al, the restaurant manager wasted no time in selling the old kitchen equipment. June 10 most of the kitchen equipment was removed.
Mike was kind enough to allow me to record the moment he removed the salad prep table for blogging posterity! (Good old prep table!)
One thing I will certainly not miss is the display case (commonly known as the "evil muffin coller" around the office. We have been putting off the removal until the renovation for as long as I have been here--since removing it leaves a huge gaping hole in our bar on the small side of the restaurant. This it sat, full of creamers and catsup.
Noisy and ugly, I look forward to our new bar where once this beast sat gurgling and whirring its fan.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Renovations update
IQ has been closed since mid-May. I thought it would be interesting to have some before, during and after shots during the renovations. These were taken by Al (the GSS Food and Beverage Manager) a week after we closed, midway through a big cleanup.I don't think many people who eat at IQ realize just how small the kitchen is right now--and how excited we are for it to increase in size.
Contractors interested in bidding on the job have been coming through and whenever we give them the tour they are shocked at how tiny it is.
Designed to nuke fish sticks and make nachos, this kitchen was certainly not meant to make the wide ranging menu our kitchen staff create daily.After we closed, Al (the manager) and Pete (the sous chef) spent a week pulling out equipment and cleaning it up for resale.
And now we wait... but just for one more day. On Thursday, June 5 there will be an "opening of the tenders"--a formal meeting where bids from various contractors (we hope) are opened and reviewed to make sure all is in order. The GSS Executive will attend the opening of the tenders and then meet to decide on which bid to accept, and also how much to spend on related capital changes. I won't breath easily until we have sealed a deal, and I know it is within budget!
All going well, the crowbars are out on Monday June 9, and the old IQ kitchen will start coming apart.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Building expansion goes ahead
At the February 26 Special General Meeting, grad students held a two hour discussion about options for expansion.
Architect Carl Peterson was there to answer questions about his proposed design, and then members of the GSS exec fielded questions about financing options.
In the end, members have decided to expand the kitchen, as well as make some minor changes to the offices, but not to create the student lounge proposed in the expansion plan.
The executive was empowered to borrow up to $100,000 if needed, but the goal is to pay for the rennovation out of existing savings.
Full minutes will follow soon.
Architect Carl Peterson was there to answer questions about his proposed design, and then members of the GSS exec fielded questions about financing options.
In the end, members have decided to expand the kitchen, as well as make some minor changes to the offices, but not to create the student lounge proposed in the expansion plan.
The executive was empowered to borrow up to $100,000 if needed, but the goal is to pay for the rennovation out of existing savings.
Full minutes will follow soon.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Just so you know...
I plan to get all of these things for the IQ. They are simply too sensible to ignore.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Upcoming issues for grad students at UVIC
At the beginning of each semester I start thinking about what the key priorities will be at the GSS office. I am always a bit overwhelmed at the broad range of subjects I am expecting to deal with, and a bit nervous I am missing something. So here is my list, and I am wondering if others see some I don't?
GSS members have some major decisions to make about our internal affairs.
Building expansion:
Should we expand our building, and if so, how much should we invest in expansion (and how will we get the money?!) Watch for a Special General Meeting in February to look at architects plans and to give your executive board direction on what you want your building to be like, and how it should be financed.
CFS Membership:
March 18-20 graduate students will go to the polls an decide on whether to continue membership in the Canadian Federation of Students. The referendum will be governed by CFS bylaws so the GSS so my big concern at the moment is whether our familiar processes can be used--most of our members use web vote in GSS referenda and elections, but it remains to be seen whether the CFS will agree to that process.
Beyond our student union, grad students also continue to face many other issues in their studies:
Office space continues to be a big concern for students on campus. Perhaps the engineers, with so much experience stuffing themselves into beetles could offer advice on sharing an office with 10 other students (and two desks!)
Expansion of the graduate student population through new provincial funding also poses some problems for our members--what if there aren't enough resources in your department already, and now your population is doubling? Some students are worried they may never find a supervisor.
Funding. After much pressure from both students and university administration, the BC government created a graduate scholarship program in 2007 and redesigned some others, like MITACS. Great news! But is the program design working for graduate students? I would like to hear more from students who are involved in the various funding programs established this year.
Most frustrating to me is that fellowships administration continue to be a problem... and so we continue to be a thorn in the side of the administration. Check out our original report on fellowship policy if you don't know about this issue.
For many students, poverty, housing, immigrant/international students rights and lack of adequate childcare are problems faced in their lives outside of school--but that cause problems academically. Generally support for these campaigns comes in the form of writing letters in support of agencies lobbying effots. For example, the GSS has been active in supporting the BC childcare campaign.
GSS members have some major decisions to make about our internal affairs.
Building expansion:
Should we expand our building, and if so, how much should we invest in expansion (and how will we get the money?!) Watch for a Special General Meeting in February to look at architects plans and to give your executive board direction on what you want your building to be like, and how it should be financed.
CFS Membership:
March 18-20 graduate students will go to the polls an decide on whether to continue membership in the Canadian Federation of Students. The referendum will be governed by CFS bylaws so the GSS so my big concern at the moment is whether our familiar processes can be used--most of our members use web vote in GSS referenda and elections, but it remains to be seen whether the CFS will agree to that process.
Beyond our student union, grad students also continue to face many other issues in their studies:
Office space continues to be a big concern for students on campus. Perhaps the engineers, with so much experience stuffing themselves into beetles could offer advice on sharing an office with 10 other students (and two desks!)
Expansion of the graduate student population through new provincial funding also poses some problems for our members--what if there aren't enough resources in your department already, and now your population is doubling? Some students are worried they may never find a supervisor.
Funding. After much pressure from both students and university administration, the BC government created a graduate scholarship program in 2007 and redesigned some others, like MITACS. Great news! But is the program design working for graduate students? I would like to hear more from students who are involved in the various funding programs established this year.
Most frustrating to me is that fellowships administration continue to be a problem... and so we continue to be a thorn in the side of the administration. Check out our original report on fellowship policy if you don't know about this issue.
For many students, poverty, housing, immigrant/international students rights and lack of adequate childcare are problems faced in their lives outside of school--but that cause problems academically. Generally support for these campaigns comes in the form of writing letters in support of agencies lobbying effots. For example, the GSS has been active in supporting the BC childcare campaign.
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