2008 Woodie Awards
Red Door now serving food at lunchtime
Elizabeth Faughnan
Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: News
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The situation has gotten so bad that school officials and dining services have felt compelled to take action. John Pasquarello, General Manager of Sodexho Dining Services, found that a few weeks ago there were a reported 850 students swiping for food between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.. Glenn Gerchman, Director of Seegers Union and Campus Events, describes it as a problem dealing with an "undersized facility and a volume issue." The space of GQ is allocated for grab and go food, but due to student popularity, has been driven to create "made to order" options which takes time, hence the problem of congestion.
The school has recognized this over congestion and is making strides to come up with a quick and effective solution. They have already taken steps to decrease the number of students coming into General's Quarters at the most popular times. The Red Door, which is not normally utilized during the day, is now open between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. for grab and go options such as soups, chili, pre-made sandwiches, salads, fountain sodas and a variety of snacks and desserts. Brian Shomaker '09, has eaten at The Red Door multiple times in the short time it has been in operation. He finds The Red Door to be a more relaxing environment to "eat and get work done." However, the addition of food in The Red Door is only a short-term solution. While The Red Door offers additional seating and allows the College to divert traffic from the Upper Level of Seegers, the administration in conjunction with the Board of Trustees realize that this is only temporary and that something else must be done.
The College is working along with Sodexho to bring Sandella's, a Sodexho managed franchise, to The Red Door as another option for food on campus. "The hope is that by bringing in a brand name, something unique will be created," said Gerchman. The franchise is mostly famously known for its use of flat bread in making paninis, wraps, quesadillas and pizzas. The idea has already been brought to Student Council and if the plan is accepted, the hope is for Sandella's to open as early as mid-march when students return from Spring Break. The most exciting aspect, according to Mike Bruckner, Vice President of Publicity, is that students would be able to use their swipes in this new facility. Everything is still in the works, but the planning shows the timely action the school has taken in alleviating a frustrating situation for hungry students.
Sandella's has already been established at other schools throughout the country such as Wells College, a college familiar to Dean Green, Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs, who boasted that her favorite dish is the Brazilian chicken pizza. Green said that when Wells had the option of bringing Sandella's to their campus it "energized a failing dining venue and we needed to have another alternative and Sandella's was the right fit for us." As Wells was still a women's college, Sandella's met the needs of young women interested in fresh made-to-order entrees and the College is excited to welcome these fresh options to the Student Body, as well.