The smell of freshly baked dinner rolls, homemade mashed potatoes served with steaming gravy, crispy chicken, melting cheesy macaroni and cheese, and much more fills the Presidential Dining Room.
Along with the delicious food, there are pleasant smiles and excellent service.
However, the atmosphere of customers in this dining heaven has changed. Students are no longer allowed to utilize these facilities with their equivalency meal plan.
Why?
As students began to find out about the great service and buffet-style food in the Presidential Dining Room, too many started to show up for lunch. As the number of students increased, so did complaints by faculty members.
Also, some faculty members have complained about students acting unruly in the Dining Room.
I agree that when wrongful behavior occurs it needs to be corrected and punishment should be rendered, but should the entire freshmen class, along with any other students that have equivalency meal plans, have to suffer?
Most freshmen are required to live on campus with a meal plan.
The majority of these students choose the equivalency plan to receive the most food their money can buy.
FAMU is run like a business: students pay the money and the University provides the service. When a service is taken away, student’s money should be reimbursed.
Since students will not be reimbursed, why can’t they eat in the Presidential Dining Room? This privilege should be given back because the entire student body should not suffer for a few ignorant individuals.
Some people have claimed that there are only two places on campus for faculty members to eat – the Presidential Dining Room and the Rattler’s Nest. So I guess that faculty members and students must be separated when it comes to lunch!
So what exactly is being conveyed? Don’t students deserve to be waited on with great service and food like faculty members?
Although students pay their money to attend this institution and to utilize the best facilities available, the impression is that we are not mature enough to eat with the faculty and get the same service that the faculty doesn’t even pay for.
In addition to standing in long lines in excruciating heat from all the commotion, must students settle for the rude service, disgusting slimy food and unruly individuals in the cafe?
Or must we go to the Orange Room, where we also stand in long lines and struggle with our food in hand for a place to sit because there aren’t enough tables?
On this campus, everyone is an adult and should be treated as adults in this business- oriented setting.
Students have handled this matter maturely by bringing the problem to the Senate, discussing it with student body representatives and administrative representatives and expressing concerns through campus media such as The Famuan.
I, along with many others, believe this situation is not only unfair, but also unacceptable.
Amanda Albert is a freshman magazine journalism student from Chicago. Contact her at amanda_a_albert@yahoo.com