The Danner Hall Cafeteria closes at 1 p.m. now, and students are complaining that they can’t get food after that time.
I feel the cafeteria should stay open longer because night students also need to be able to buy food.
It’s not right the day students can buy food, but the night students are stuck going off campus, bringing their own or simply going hungry.
“I deal with it badly,” said Fransiska Shaver. “It makes me mad that because I always here in the afternoon where I want to get something. But it’s hard because it closes early and I am disabled. It’s to find a place to go to.”
Cory Chapman, a student, said Danner is likely suffering from closing early.
“I think economically, Danner is losing money by closing. [If] it were to stay open longer, not only will the students have a place to eat but there will be more money for the school,” said Chapman.
One student has found a way around Danner’s early closing time.
“I bring my own lunch from home, or I go off to eat or go without food,” said Mikesha Thomas.
In an email interview, Director of Auxiliary Services Fidel Cabuena said two years ago the bookstore and food services went through a reorganization where the two were placed under his purview.
Cabuena said at the time the food operations were operating with close to a $400,000 deficit.
“The district made a decision to make both operations self sustaining,” Cabuena said. “The change in closing hours was due to Food Services consolidation of services and staff reduction.”
Closing food services early and reducing staff helped in reducing the financial deficit, he said.
As part of the change, the bookstore added a snack zone with food, drinks and snacks. The Bookstore stays open until 6 p.m., offering students options after the cafeteria closes, said Cabuena.
I feel that it’s really great to see the bookstore offering more food that the students can get after 1 p.m.
The bookstore offers food such as hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches, Hot Pockets and other varieties of food students can buy after the cafeteria closes.
Hopefully, in the future the cafeetria will stay open longer.
But for now food service closes at 1p.m. Monday through Friday.