Major campus construction is completed and no more is being planned, largely because of financial restraints, Vice President Gregg Lassen said Wednesday during a town hall meeting.
The meeting, sponsored by the Student Government Association, convened in the new University Center auditorium before an estimated group of 35 people, including five panelists.
Lassen welcomed attendees by announcing a formal grand opening for the renovated University Center is planned for 11 a.m. April 14.
The two-hour town hall is a biannual SGA event, which gives students an opportunity to question administers about their concerns.
The panel consisted of:
Lassen appeared disappointed in student turnout for the meeting.
"This is a funky situation here with more employees than students," he said. "I know how a U.S. congressman feels now when he makes a speech, and there's no one there to hear him."
Students asked Lassen and Mariani about menu choices and operating hours.
Mariani said since the Up's reopening, all of the campus dining facilities are in their permanent locations.
"We're done expanding," he said. "For the first time in seven years, we are not building a new dining facility. Also this is the first time everything is where it should be."
He said officials plan to conduct a Patriot burger "throw down" - a burger-designing contest - for Grill Works.
He said the biggest issue affecting the Grill Works is time it takes for customers to receive their orders.
Mariani said some physical and other changes should help improve service time.
"We've moved the grill to the front and streamlined the menu," he said.
He said he might institute monthly specials to provide certain items not on the regular menu.
SGA senator Christa Wilke asked about the possible expansion of Chik-Fil-A's menu.
Mariani said business is great at Chik-Fil-A, and the discussion of menu expansion is set for sometime in the summer.
He also responded to a question about the possibility of extended the Met's closing time.
Mariani said he conducted a two-week trial with a 10 p.m. closing time and learned there is not enough business to justify the expense of staying open longer.
Lassen said if the University had another 1,000 students, staying open later probably would work.
A student suggested serving Smoothies in the UC kiosk.
"As of the moment, we're not going to put anything in there right now," Mariani said.
Copyright © by the Patriot Talon
All content, graphics and images on this site are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission of the Patriot Talon. All images on this site are for viewing on this site only and may not be downloaded or reproduced without permission.