Originally Posted by FireDragoonX

that's offensive?

Classy... The edit button is truly the censor button of one's self.

Anyway, bashing Health Sci or any other faculty/department/program doesn't get you anywhere.

On the MSU Website, is there a reason why 'Sterling Street' is the only option that was provided a branding strategy? The entire process is undermined when one option is given more work than others. If you're going to provide logos, let the graphic designer do a mark up of ALL options.

Originally Posted by FireDragoonX

Sterling Street isn't that great. Naming it after a street might be confusing to some people (specifically ***** and ******** students).

The Scholar sounds like a place for hth sci's where they can drink and pretend not to be huge ********* and try their best to *** ** and ** *******. But really, they will always be *****
(asterisks are intentional)

Ohhhh, I thought the asterisks were UN-intentional. Thanks!

Ignoring that unprovoked, out of place, unneeded jab (though I'm sure we'd like each other if we got to know each other),

I'm sort of dismayed to see 1280 getting the major support.

It's been touted as being the "sleek" and "modern" option for the new name, but it seems like the restaurant itself is being fashioned into a something "rustic" and more traditional.

Now I don't know what the restaurant formerly known as quarters will look like, but if 1280 ends up winning out, we're gonna end up with a restaurant/club/bar with a name/brand that may not match the physical restaurant's appearance.

I think that The Downstairs John, Sterling St., etc. are all names that would better fit a "rustic" "traditional" looking restaurant.

Maybe something to keep in mind?

Any suggestions on top of the list of names anyone? I'm not a fan of any of the names, but I don't think the naming commitee hasn't really looked to the students for a name. How about a field where you can input suggestions on the poll?

They used to have one and this naming topic has been around since March if not earlier. They had polls up on the website and macinsiders had countless posts on it too debating the whole thing. There was a poll prior to the current one with a bunch of suggestions, none of which are on the current list (probably with good reason).

Matt Wright, naming committee member, has been really good about making sure it's been put to the students and I know that's been one of his top motivations for being on the committee.

Originally Posted by FireDragoonX

Why is there this unofficial poll on Macinsiders? I don't get it. Seems redundant and stupid since it doesn't even have all the options, and the results don't do anything.

Hi FireDragoon!

Please re-read the post that was made. We explain that was did a poll before (which had all the name choices, except downstairs john) and that our winning name on our unofficial poll was "1280". We were told that the leading choices in the 'official' poll are 1280 or The Downstairs John, so we wanted to re-poll the members to see which the MacInsiders readers thought was best.

Remember, we don't get to see any of the results of the official poll is closed, and they most likely won't release how many people voted. So it is nice to know ahead of time what will most likely be the winner by polling MacInsiders members

As for threads debating the name change and suggesting OTHER name ideas, we had many threads started on that topic.

It doesn't seem as if people are happy with the names that did come up and they're asking you to go back to the drawing board. I don't think blaming them for not coming up with names earlier is going to help. Quarters definately suffers from some kind of identity confusion, and the debate over the name only amplifies that. Remember, these people are paying your $375,000 rennovation bill of quarters, maybe listen to them when they say they're picking the best of the worse in terms of name selection.

Originally Posted by jeffgreen

Quarters definately suffers from some kind of identity confusion

What does this mean?

Quarters will always be Quarters to me. Renaming it is like renaming Skydome to Rogers Centre. People still call it the Skydome.

Whatever you call it, I will never forget the Quarters that I remembered from first year.

It means you're paying $375000 (at least that's what's been approved so far) for a bar and we keep hearing the same argument that people didn't step up to plate to name it in march and April, so 1280 is the "best" name they have so far so that's what it's going to be.
I'm saying if there is so much argument about the name you shouldn't settle, the committe should be actively trying to find a better name, not just polling the stuff they came up with before.

As for the identity of the bar, the post before was right - it's sapposed to have a rustic or nostalgic feel, but be a trendy club, a study space , an espresso bar (no joke) and probably something else I'm missing... Pick one, and find a name that suits it.

Originally Posted by jeffgreen

It means you're paying $375000 (at least that's what's been approved so far) for a bar and we keep hearing the same argument that people didn't step up to plate to name it in march and April, so 1280 is the "best" name they have so far so that's what it's going to be.
I'm saying if there is so much argument about the name you shouldn't settle, the committe should be actively trying to find a better name, not just polling the stuff they came up with before.

As for the identity of the bar, the post before was right - it's sapposed to have a rustic or nostalgic feel, but be a trendy club, a study space , an espresso bar (no joke) and probably something else I'm missing... Pick one, and find a name that suits it.

While I think that the optimal situation involves a consensus among the student body, it is difficult for me to foresee a name which would even satisfy a great majority of the population.

Of course, just because a name cannot be agreed upon by everybody in the Union doesn't mean the MSU/SRA should not bother to actively seek out "better" names. Sure, they could have asked students for suggestions. But, how would the elected body then go about choosing the best name from the suggestions? A poll? You already shot that one down. They decide for us? Hello uproar. At the end of the day, I think we would still arrive at a point where much debate and argument about the name would still exist. If you have a better solution, I'm sure the MSU and SRA would be glad to hear you out.

While choosing a new name for our beloved campus it-spot is part of the rebranding process, I think it is far from an integral consideration. If the name doesn't suit the place, it might cause a chuckle - but it definitely won't be the factor that makes or breaks our campus bar. Instead, I would like to see some more focus, from both the student body and our student government, placed on the actual renovations and changes made to the administration.

Originally Posted by mumbojumbo

Quarters will always be Quarters to me. Renaming it is like renaming Skydome to Rogers Centre. People still call it the Skydome.

Whatever you call it, I will never forget the Quarters that I remembered from first year.

This is true - the name "Quarters" will always have that nostalgic ring to it for me. But at the same time, I'm glad that incoming students will have their own unique memories of a campus "restolounge" - whatever it will be known as.

If they want to connect it with the MSU, name it "Fubar" and get on with it.

Originally Posted by Chad

AWith a new menu, staff, and look, they are hoping to completely revitalize the establishment into something that will turn around the roughly $425,000 deficit that Quarters ran in the last fiscal year.

What? They Ran another huge deficit year? (reads link) oh, ok. So you're referring to 2 years ago. How much did Quarters loose last year? I'm wondering if losses + renovations expense = more than a million dollars.

To those of you who think "The Downstairs John" sounds like a toilet, well, almost $1,000,000 down the drain sounds like an awfully expensive toilet to me. (Quarters' future Budgets should not only plan on breaking even operationally, but should also include an Amortization schedule so that you can track how Quarters is paying back the renovation "loan").

As for Matt Wright's Sil piece, it's nice to know you agree with me on the futility of spending all your "rebranding" time on a name game while you spend lavish sums of students' money trying to turn Quarters into a jack-of-all-trades (and master of none) venue. However, I was asking the MSU to listen back in January. It's a bit pointless to demand students voice their opinions more, right before exams.

hmm, my Penn & Teller episode just finished downloading (bit torrent - I miss DC++). Gotta run

Alex McColl
Hons B.Comm & Econ Minor 08

A name floated around for the bar now know as Quarters was John Rathskeller's. A nice quality nod to the long history of nightlife on campus. Just a though.