The Graze dishwasher has been nonfunctional this school year. UNK students have been using disposable dishes as a result.
Dishwasher issues began early on.
“The dishwasher has worked for maybe two weeks out of the entire school year so far,” said April Journey, The Graze supervisor.
UNK students have been using plastic dinnerware because of the dishwasher malfunctions. This has caused an increase in the amount of trash being produced in the dining hall.
The dishwasher problems began at the beginning of the school year. The machine was worked on many times, but it kept having repetitive mechanical issues due to its age. These repairs delayed ordering a new dishwasher. Staff members are anticipating the arrival of the new machine but are unsure when it will be delivered, installed and ready for use.
Journey said that at first it was pretty hectic in The Graze when the dishwasher broke down. Staff members and students worked together to overcome the obstacles of a new dining routine. Now, most students are used to using the alternative dinnerware and not having a running dishwasher.
Some diners have had an improved experience because of the disposable dinnerware.
“Of course, plastic plates and silverware aren’t what we’re all used to, but I actually kind of like using them at The Graze,” said Lexie Eckhoff, UNK freshman. “They’re really nice to have when I’m busy and don’t have time to sit down and eat my meals. I’m able to just take my food to go, which has been a huge game changer for me.”
The Graze staff has worked hard to provide a good experience to students throughout the challenges of this school year, which has not gone unnoticed by students.
“The only thing that matters is that the staff is still serving us plenty of good food each day,” said Cassidy Aycock, UNK sophomore. “I’m really grateful for that.”
Students can expect to continue using disposable plates until the new dishwasher arrives.
