The student body and faculty of a college or university campus require access to nutritious, quality food in order to have fuel for the necessary thinking which makes daily life in higher education possible, and Union College is no exception. And with dining alterations taking place around campus this winter term, it is imperative that the campus community has access to all of the information relevant to the changes students will be seeing in their own schedules and dining experiences.
The most substantial change to Union’s dining sector is Rathskeller’s recent shift from afternoon-evening dining to hours focusing only on the lunch block between 11AM and 2PM. Rathskeller, which offers comfort food and bar-style dining, is transitioning away from its busiest hours, with one student saying “I used to go there all the time, and now they took away the fun of going there late at night.”
In Rathskeller’s absence with regard to late-night snacking, Dutch Hollow of Reamer Campus Center will be offering all of the same menu items previously offered under the original late-night dining experience under Old Chapel between the hours of 7 and 11 PM, leaving students missing only the historic Cantina Bar-esque atmosphere of the campus staple.
Other students have found the transition to eating mostly in Reamer to be a welcome addition to their schedules, citing its relative convenience, proximity to other clubs and social gathering places, and the options which surround it, namely “upper” Dining Hall, The 807 Deli, The Garlic Nott, and the food and beverage selection offered by both convenience stores on the lower level.
“I’m not really bothered by the change,” said freshman Zack Pontes, “As long as the menu items hold up it doesn’t matter if I’m getting them in Rathskeller or Dutch Hollow. Ultimately, the jury is still out on whether or not the transition to Dutch Hollow will be permanent, and student opinions are key to the future of food services on the Union Campus.
