I saw your post on the East Tennessean Instagram account and thought I could answer your question of “have you been impacted by changes to on-campus dining hours and services?”
Though, yes, the changes were made to accommodate the limited amount staffing in the dining hall past the time of 8 p.m., I feel as though the change is more harmful than helpful. When I first heard about the change, I was somewhat thrilled, and was enthusiastic about the idea of “free Chick-fil-a,” or meals I do not have to use my dining dollars towards.
Because of my schedule, I more often than not have to eat at sometimes past 7:30 p.m., leading me to be restricted to only Chick-fil-a and Roger’s Buc Mart. Though I did enjoy my first two nights with “free Chick-fil-a,” I came to realize how limited my options had become. Rather than a healthy salad or protein that I am accustomed to in the dining hall, I have started to have unhealthy foods with excess fats/sugars/carbs. In addition, this change does not accommodate vegan, gluten-free or allergen-free options, and it leaves many at a disadvantage.
Though this change does solve the problem of limited staff, I feel that it is counterintuitive, and it does not accommodate the needs of ETSU’s students. If we paid for a full dining plan, we should not have to be subjected to limited options, and unhealthy options at that.
