THE heyday of must-see uni bar nights with 1000 students packed into Rafters Bar, in addition to a long waiting line out front, seem to be well and truly gone with news the uni bar is all but closed.
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The much loved Rafters Bar, which has a long and colourful history as the hub of students' social lives, has been in decline over the past few years, but none more so than 2020 when the outbreak of COVID meant campus was in lockdown.
CSU's deputy vice chancellor, Jenny Roberts, said with more students now choosing to study online and less students located on campus, the decision was made to limit the opening of Rafters.
"There has been quite a shift in the way people study due to technology and personal commitments such as work and family, and we are always looking first and foremost to meet the needs of students," she said.
"Social activities on campus are always a big part of university life, but especially after a difficult year in 2020 we have had to make some tough decisions.
"Currently the uni bar will only be open when actual events are planned instead of every week."
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The decision could mean a very limited offering at Rafters with only a few events currently planned including 'Paint and Pour' and 'Bingo and Trivia with Betty Confetti'.
Ms Roberts said that it would be vital for student clubs and organisations to plan, promote and support events at the uni bar for it to remain open.
"Obviously Rafters is in competition with venues downtown, so we are hoping students come up with a good range of events whether it is live music, comedy or other events that they would enjoy and be successful," she said.
First year students may not notice anything different about the Bathurst campus, but returning students will definitely feel something missing from their university experience.
There are currently 572 new students commencing on-campus study at CSU in Bathurst, along with approximately 600 returning students enrolled on-campus, however the total number of students registered as living on campus this year is significantly lower at 450.
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