Media advisory - Official opening of the brand new Student Run Café at McGill University

MONTREAL, Oct. 25, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) is proud to announce the official opening of the brand new Student Run Café (SRC) on January 6, 2014. The café will open in the Shatner Building, on the second floor. Several events will be held leading up to the opening of the café, allowing students to learn more about the SRC and to be a part of the continuous feedback and design of the café. For upcoming events, be sure to follow us on the SRC website at http://ssmu.ca/cafe! Applications for positions at the SRC will also be accepted over the next two weeks.

What is the Student Run Cafe?

Located in the campus's only student-run building, the SRC is a café/restaurant that is entirely run by McGill students, under the umbrella of the SSMU operation. Its mission is to be the student-designed, student-driven, and student-operated hub for sustainable food service on campus. The cafe will be driven by student needs from the core and will additionally serve as a cooperative framework for student-led sustainable food projects and initiatives.

A brief history

Food services on the McGill University campus originally emerged in the middle of the 1930's, when a snack shop run entirely by students was opened. A few years later, this initiative had led to the establishment of the first Coffee Shop, which was immediately successful. In parallel, the Coffee Shop Committee was created, and it quickly became an extremely active part of campus. After a quieter period, the CSC started up again in the 1980's and 1990's thanks to the SSMU's involvement. In 1993, the Architecture Café was officially opened. This new café/pub was recognised for its fair trade products.

From 2000 onwards, food and beverage services on campus were progressively taken over by the university administration. In 2001, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) and the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) lost control of their respective cafeterias. In the three years that followed, the same fate became of students in law, psychology, economics, engineering, management, arts and music. In 2004, the acquisition of the Bookstore Café and McGill's announcement that they were drastically reducing the number of food providers on campus led to a major awareness campaign. Organised by the Coalition for Action on Food Services (CAFS), the campaign had an impressive following, with 82% of students protesting against the monopoly of food services on campus.

The protest movement unfortunately did not change the fact that in 2007, the Architecture Café was placed under university stewardship before being officially shut down in 2010. It was not until a full year later that a new proposal for a student-run café was written by SSMU. The project, after many years of development which has now reached its final stage, will become a reality at the start of 2014, much to everyone's anticipation.

Event details

What? Official opening of the new Student Run Cafe
Where? Shatner Building, 2^nd floor (location of former Lola Rosa/Tiki Ming)
When? Monday, January 6, 2014

About SSMU

The Students' Society of McGill University represents all undergraduate students at McGill University. Created over a century ago, it has as a mission to represent and defend the needs of students through improving quality of and access to education, offering unique services that are adapted to their needs, and promoting social, cultural, and personal opportunities. With the help of its members, SSMU has put on numerous events, clubs and services, which through their uniqueness and continual presence in the community, are a source of pride for McGill students of the present, past, and future.

SOURCE: Student Society of McGill University

For further information:

Julien Benoît
Political Attaché
514 398-3211 (bureau) ou 514 247-7375 (cellulaire)
[e-mail]