Campus dining crowded due to enrollment

The increase of students for the fall 2013 semester at Southern University has impacted the dining halls of E.N. Mayberry and Oscar J. Dunn with students’ availability and access to cafeteria dining.
Mayberry Hall has an estimate of 500 seats while Dunn has 350 seats for the 1900 students housed on SU’s campus.
According to Paul Roberts, manager of Dunn Hall, approximately 450 students are served during the lunch hours of 11 AM to 2 PM, and Mayberry Hall serves approximately 1150 students during the same time.
 “Even though there has been an increase of students at the university with meal plans, both cafeterias become packed on occasion but it is never uncomfortable and we try to keep students in a healthy environment so they can eat,” Robert said.
According to Roberts many students request for Dunn Hall to be open because of the close proximity it is to the dormitories.
“Personally, I believe that both cafeterias should be open on Fridays because of the increase in numbers of students with meal plans,” Roberts said.
Many students enjoy having lunch at Dunn Hall on Fridays because of the short distance. With no class on Friday, students can make time for lunch.
Joshua Perry therapeutic recreation major from New Orleans said that Dunn Hall should stay open on Fridays because of the proximity it is to students’ dorms.
“It is a relief to people in the back of campus,” Perry said.
Although Perry said that Dunn Hall should be open to students in the back of campus, he said athletes and band members are the cause for the crowd in the cafeteria.
 “They need to have their own cafeteria to keep focus for high game performance on Saturdays,” Perry said.
Although other students may request Dunn Hall to be open on Fridays because of the proximity, others said Mayberry Hall has more room, so students should be there for the large crowds.
Alana Holt sophomore biology major from Las Vegas said she would prefer Dunn Hall to be open because it has more seating and it would cater to students’ needs better than Dunn Hall.
“We have to take a walk from the dorms or apartments to the front of campus for class anyway so if Mayberry has more room then we should follow where there’s more available space for students,’ Holt said.
On weekends the dining halls alternate cafeterias.