By Alex Hammeke
Antelope Staff
For a high school student, college visits are a formative step in making their college decision. For most students, this is in the form of an individual visit with parents in attendance, a personalized tour and academic appointments to show the students what their collegiate career might look like at UNK.
And then there are group visits. 35-50 or more kids taking up tables in the Graze and some in the retail space as well. The same situation happens when groups such as FCCLA, FBLA and day-long quiz bowl competitions arrive to use the ample classroom, conference and meeting spaces that the college provides.
It’s easy to see that the college students aren’t thrilled to have their lunch lines extended down the main stairwell to the cafeteria, having all their lunch options gobbled up and airdrop memes with zero notice.
The problem might soon become worse when the new fraternity and sorority life dormitories are built near the Union. Louie’s Diner, a smaller-scale dining option on the west side of campus, will be demolished at the same time.
As campus gradually expands and adds more students, it also needs to add more facilities for student dining. One location for students to eat in the northeast corner of campus is not a viable option for a campus rapidly expanding to the southwest.
The loss of Louie’s Diner places students in the College of Education and the College of Business and Technology at a disadvantage. Walking from the College of Education building to the Union takes seven minutes with empty sidewalks, and the distance takes roughly eleven minutes from Discovery Hall.
The close proximity of Fraternity and Sorority Life housing will increase the number of people eating at The Graze. The loss of Louie’s Diner will cause everyone on campus to be forced to the Graze. When school groups come to UNK’s campus under this situation, the only words that I can recommend are “good luck.”
It’s a simple message to UNK’s Administration. If it isn’t on the long laundry list of campus improvements, add it to the list. A second dining hall on campus – no matter how simple – is a must on our growing campus.