Mission
The Rathskeller is a student-run restaurant dedicated to developing students, providing quality food, unique events, and an accepting on-campus space while advancing the University’s mission and goals.
- Provides a new, different and complementary site for student extracurricular life. A relaxed, easy atmosphere characterizes the Rathskeller, which is conducive to wholesome enjoyment.
- Creates the conditions for improved communications among the various elements of the University community—the students, administrators, staff, alumni, faculty and Board of Trustee members of the University of Miami.
- Contributes positively to the total educational experience of the students of the University by providing a facility, program and atmosphere that encourages the free exchange and exploration of ideas.
- Provides a site for the legal consumption of beer and wine on campus for those legally entitled for consumption. A natural concomitant of this location is a reduction in the risks associated with traveling by automobile to other sites in the greater Miami area for the purpose of consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Enables students to participate responsibly in a different area of student relevance and competence by establishing a Rathskeller which will ultimately be financed by students, designed with the help of students and operated largely by the students for the University community.
Rathskeller Advisory Board (RAB)
The Rathskeller Advisory Board (RAB) is the Rathskeller student programming committee for Hurricane Productions. RAB plans and hosts free weekly events for students including Trivia Tuesdays, DJ Fridays, and other specialty events each month including football watch parties, make-and-take events, interactive classes, variety shows, and more.
History
The Rathskeller was officially opened on December 18, 1972, and dedicated on February 10, 1973. Mr. Gautier was instrumental in initiating and following through on the Rathskeller project, and so, the Rat was formally referred to as Gautier Hall.
In June 2011, the Gautier Hall was demolished to provide space for a new Donna E. Shalala Student Center, where the new Rathskeller would reside. The Rat was temporarily located in the University Center. The new Rathskeller opened on August 20, 2013, in its present location.
