While the expanded hours of Momís since 2008 had been a welcome addition to students who were still hungry well past midnight, there were adverse effects as well. Too many students came in drunk, disorderly and disrespectful on Friday and Saturday nights, and customers often pocketed food from the convenience store. This contributed to long lines, which frustrated both customers and staff. In response, Campus Dining Services came up with a solution that has helped all parties. For this, they should be commended.
The Lowry Center Coffee Bar and Convenience Store, built during winter break, offers fresh coffee as well as convenience store products that were previously part of Momís. This has enabled Momís to streamline their late-night menu, keeping lines short, as well as freeing up extra dining space and creating a warmer atmosphere downstairs.
Upstairs, the Lowry Center Coffee Bar and Convenience Store was built in conjunction with the renovation of the main lounge on the first floor. The coffee shop, along with new tables, chairs, cushy furniture and fireplace, has made the first floor lounge an optimal place for students to relax and study. Campus Dining Services and the directors of Lowry Center should be commended for an excellent renovation that all students have been able to enjoy.
In response to the bad behavior of a handful of students during the late-night hours, the College could have chosen to punitively reduce the operating hours of Momís. However, rather than choosing a solution that would adversely affect the majority of students that had been playing by the rules, the College showed compassion and found a solution that perked up the campus aesthetically and improved campus life functionally.
The first floor of Lowry was an area that needed a facelift and the College responded to student requests. There will always be issues that arise and the College will never be able to meet the demands of every student and faculty member. However, the new renovation shows that the College is receptive to student criticism and is actively trying to improve all aspects of campus life for students.