New mess hall hours offer flexibility to meal times

Dana Harris
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Last year, senior John Cappellano of the Norwich University men's baseball team would rush after practice to get something to eat from the mess hall before it closed.

Sometimes he'd make it in time to get a meal; other times he was just out of luck -- the food was put away.

For the 2002-03 school year, Sodexho food services has changed the meal plans from three set meals to unlimited entry and access to the cafeteria all day.

Sodexho's food service has changed their hours to 7 a.m.-8 p.m. because of the lack of time Norwich students have while they are at sport practices or doing group studies and homework.

Cappellano, 21, a senior business management major from Peacham, Vt., said, "later hours are much better. Not only does it reduce the traffic in the cafeteria, but it also has the same effect on the gym. Now students can work out later and play ball later. It is a relief to be able to avoid the clutter, especially with our growing population."

With Norwich having one of the biggest freshman classes in history, the school has come up with many alternative methods of making the mess hall less crowded.

"The object is to try and get students into a time slot where they would not have to worry about missing any part of the day for eating," said Paul Bento, general manager of Sodexho at Norwich. Until this year, Sodexho used the three set meal plan and had done so for the past eight years.

Bento was the production manager for Norwich's Sodexho food service for nine years before he became the general manager last August.

Students were either rushing to dinner for nothing because food was being put away, they did not have any more food left, or students just would not make it on time.

"We developed a multi-meal plan to give flexibility for the students. They're not rushed or pressured, so that's a plus if they can make it to dinner with time to spare," Bento said.

The Mill snack bar has changed its hours to 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and reopening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. because Sodexho has the mess hall open until 8 p.m.

"Students that are buying things at the snack bar at the Mill can now just get it for free upstairs from in Sodexho's cafeteria," said Dave Magida, Chief Administrator Officer.

There have been complaints from commuter students who would like to eat during hours when the Mill is not open.

"Commuter students are raising the issue of 'what about us?' They're not done, yet, and the Mill closes at 2:30 p.m. and doesn't open back up until 8:00 at night, so it's much more of a residential schedule," said Martha Mathis, Dean of Students.

Commuter students can still purchase the meal plan or a partial meal plan through the Bursar's Office in Jackman Hall, according to Magida.

Even students on campus agree that there should be a way for students to receive points at the Mill.

Cappallano said, "Even though the new hours for the mess hall are better, I think we should still be given points at the Mill, for some variety."

"The only reason we did it is to improve student life on campus and improve dining life for students, and it's very generous of the President," said Magida. "We're trying to fit in with students' lives."

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