Chancellor Michael Martin discussed the possibility of a University-run microbrewery Tuesday while riding on the Tiger Trails transit system during Student Government’s Chats with the Chancellor.
Students also asked Martin about budget cuts as they rode the Tigerland and Highland-Ben Hur bus routes.
Brandon Jones, microbiology senior and College of Science senator, asked Martin about the progress of creating an on-campus microbrewery, an idea Martin has championed in the past.
Martin said the University has received a lot of interest in partnerships with the project, and one of the possible locations for the brewery could be the University-owned land next to Walk-On’s on Burbank Drive.
Martin said he would like to see University-produced beer available at the University Faculty Club, Walk-On’s, The Lod Cook Hotel and Conference Center and the private boxes in Tiger Stadium.
Martin said the interest is in the experience, not the beer.
“This is an experience for students that will pay for itself,” he said.
Martin said he would like to see the brewery run similarly to the Dairy Store, with business students running the store and microbiology students developing the beer.
The name of the beer is up in the air, Martin said. After discovering one of the names he favored, “Tiger Lager,” already existed, Martin has played with names including Panthera, the genus name for tiger, for the beer.
It would cost about $1 million in equipment to start the brewery, but Martin said he doesn’t want to spend any University money on the project.
Martin also talked to bus riders about the midyear budget cut increasing from $2.2 million to $5.1 million.
LSU System administrators decided that non-teaching units, like the LSU AgCenter and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, couldn’t afford to take as big of a cut, so it was suggested the money come from the University’s budget, Martin said.
Martin said this allocation has not been approved, and students should speak out when the Board of Supervisors meets to make the decision.
Before getting off the bus, one passenger asked Martin if budget cuts would affect University transportation.
“Transportation is self-funded,” Martin responded. “It will be OK.”
During the Tiger Trails ride, Martin reminisced about his days leading up to being chancellor of the University with Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, and Brian Nichols, executive director of the Office of Risk Management.
SG handed out T-shirts and snacks to students riding the bus during the event.
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]