Campus Dining receives an upgrade

On January 29th, 2022, it was announced that Southern University’s Dunn Dining Hall would be shutting down for repairs and other work. Reportedly, these repairs had to do with a water leakage happening in the building. In wake of this, students were told that Mayberry Dining Hall would be their sole dining hall until the repairs were finished. .
Allegedly, however, there were reports of students still eating in Dunn Hall even with repairs still being made. We reached out to an anonymous representative from Aramark who declined a request for comment on that matter. Though the representative could neither confirm nor deny those claims, they did share some exciting information regarding new dining options in the works around campus.
“We’re looking at John B. Cade library on the first floor,” says the Aramark representative. “Some potential options would be sushi, smoothies, or another coffee establishment.” Nothing is set in stone as of now, but students can look forward to having a new spot to eat and hang out in the library.
Though this is exciting news, many students are unsatisfied with the current conditions of campus dining. “Dunn needs more work in order for it to feel like a true dining experience,” says Karron Magee, a freshman finance major from New Orleans, Louisiana. “…The drink machines on the right haven’t been working since last semester and sometimes the drinks we do get from the working machine are nasty or seem to be running out of flavor.”
When asked where there can be improvements, Magee states, “Honestly, the food is amazing. But the first thing I’d suggest is better staff. Some of the workers can be a little rude at times and no one wants to go eat and have to get yelled at or given attitude.” In addition to better hospitality at Dunn Hall, Magee also suggests more organized waiting processes to tackle long lines in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
Syncere Buckley, a freshman nursing major from New Orleans, Louisiana agrees with the need for further improvements in campus dining. For starters, “There should be more employees or students in work-study assisting the kitchen and front,” Buckley says. “Also we need more restaurants that are more inclined to the student’s taste.”
Some of these issues are being taken into consideration with the upcoming new student union that is currently under planning. Nonetheless, the upcoming library plans are receiving positive feedback. “I support it. I’ll be so happy if the library gets dining options. It could also open up more job opportunities for students,” says Magee.
Overall, new dining options tailored to students are indeed on the way. Stay posted for more updates on dining in the future.