Editorial: Bring in take-out
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Opinion
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The Food Advisory Board recently submitted proposals for changes to Longden's dining options and facilities in hopes that these changes would increase the number of students who dine there. Many of these suggestions are worthwhile, particularly those concerning the menu. After the closing of the Gate, students lost the option of take-out meals, which was convenient for athletes and busy students; bringing this back would save students trips to the Hub and allow for healthier dinner options than Pizza Hut and Ben and Jerry's. As DePauw considers to move toward more organic food and other healthy options, it would be beneficial to modify Longden's traditional buffet-style meals in favor of healthier and smaller portioned meals. This would be better for the waistlines of students and more economical for Sodexho.
The board also proposed making Longden more of a social campus hang-out joint, with a game room and social space that could be reserved by student groups without charge on weekends. This idea sounds similar to one that was supposed to be created for students years ago: the Walden Social Center. While the suggestion is commendable, the likelihood of students using a freshman dorm cafeteria for social events is low. Longden's location on the south side of campus will keep upperclassmen away, since many live on the opposite end and would probably choose a fraternity house over a dorm for a night out. While students do need more options in alcohol-free social spaces, the Walden should be that space, as it should have been years ago. On this campus, where freshmen are already excluded from greek life until spring and quartered on their own end of campus, turning Longden into a social space will simply perpetuate their sheltered existence. The reason for making these changes to Longden was essentially that not enough students use the facility. To get students to use it, provide better food, not another social scene; we have plenty of those on this campus.
The board also proposed making Longden more of a social campus hang-out joint, with a game room and social space that could be reserved by student groups without charge on weekends. This idea sounds similar to one that was supposed to be created for students years ago: the Walden Social Center. While the suggestion is commendable, the likelihood of students using a freshman dorm cafeteria for social events is low. Longden's location on the south side of campus will keep upperclassmen away, since many live on the opposite end and would probably choose a fraternity house over a dorm for a night out. While students do need more options in alcohol-free social spaces, the Walden should be that space, as it should have been years ago. On this campus, where freshmen are already excluded from greek life until spring and quartered on their own end of campus, turning Longden into a social space will simply perpetuate their sheltered existence. The reason for making these changes to Longden was essentially that not enough students use the facility. To get students to use it, provide better food, not another social scene; we have plenty of those on this campus.
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