CORRECTION: In the print version of this story published on Oct. 7, a quote from Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler was incorrectly attributed to Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services Nate McBride. The quote has been corrected in this version of the story.
If you have wandered into Danner Hall you probably noticed a dimly-lit room, sparsely populated by students roaming about eating vending-machine potato chips and microwaved burritos.
You may have also noticed a large section in the back that resembles a fully functional kitchen which sits untouched like a ghost town. Welcome to the current state of the cafeteria at Delta College. Large counter top steam tables are filled to the brim with nothing, a hot food grill and fresh deli section are dark and empty, and closed off by a rack of chips and several boxes.
“It [would be] pretty nice to be able to go in and get [hot] food cheaper overall. It would be more of an incentive to sit around and do just schoolwork. That would help me out,” said Kyle Goldsmith, a new student of Delta, during a College Hour event Sept. 15 where the Associated Students of Delta College brought in a food vendor to serve students.
The state of the cafeteria recently became a public comment topic at the Sept. 20 meeting of the Board of Trustees where Digital Media students who spend a lot of time on campus noted the lack of options in Danner Hall.
Digital Media student Ashley Hallinan noted that the situation is so dire that Professor Adriana Brogger, who has a jar of snacks free for students, has had to replace the stock multiple times already this semester.
“Many students are hungry now that we’re back on campus, and there’s different, you know. It can be seen, and I’m in several classes where our teacher is generous enough to put out granola bars and crackers and stuff, saying, ‘Take what you need’. That jar is being depleted every day,” Hallinan said.
Students who have health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, may find themselves out of luck if they don’t bring their own food, Hallinan told the board.
“I have two other classmates on this evening who also have medical issues that revolve around nutritious food. I’ve been to our cafeteria on several occasions, and the options are less than equivalent to a gas station”, said Hallinan.
In recent semesters, Danner Hall has offered pre-packaged options that resemble the nearest 7-11 store rather than a college-scale food service operation. A warm meal on campus for some is simply a styrofoam Cup Noodles. Pre-pandemic, former Delta College President Dr. Omid Pourzjani worked to renovate the Danner Hall space and lower prices. But now the once-bustling kitchen is a shell of its former self.
Collegian reporting as far back as 2012 has noted limited hours and lack of options, according to the newspaper archive. The complaints are not new.
Christopher Morales, another Digital Media student, also addressed the board.
“So I am a Type 2 diabetic … there’s times where I want something nutritious to eat that would be a benefit for my health, and unfortunately I don’t have those options,” Morales said.
Megan Silva, another Digital Media student, chimed in as well.
Demonstrating more concerns regarding health for students regardless of pre-existing medical conditions.
“…My first full semester on campus. I was there all day, and I did not have access to a fridge or a lot of food. I have a very high metabolism, and I dropped ten pounds in the course of a semester,” said Silva.
Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services, the department Nate McBride, who oversees Danner Hall operations, referred questions about food offerings on campus to Delta Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler. Breitler said Delta appreciates hearing student voices on the issue of campus food offerings.
“We are actively looking at potential strategies to improve food service, but we don’t have any specific details to share yet. We will definitely keep students informed as we get further along in the process. We also are very interested in any ideas that students might have and we are looking for a way for them to submit those ideas to us. We’ll release more details on that as soon as we can,” Breitler said.
One notable option for students is the Culinary Arts’ departments Student Chef, which recently opened for food service two days a week. The program is a kitchen and restaurant for culinary students to refine their cookery and dish execution.
“The advanced culinary [students are] the ones that are preparing the food that is being served by the restaurant operations class,” said Instructional Assistant and Adjunct Professor Britney Howard. “They come up with a menu, each week it changes. So we’re trying to use local products, so a lot of the product comes from local farmers.”
Student Chef uses fresh ingredients and produce within 100 miles of campus.
“We just want to make sure that we’re trying to appeal to everyone, but also making sure that we’re not straying away from the teaching skills that these students are going to need to go out and work at a restaurant…”
Student Chef is open to serve the campus in the south-west corner of Danner Hall, from 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday, with a new low-cost menu each week.
