Story by Paige Effinger, Contributing writer
Winslow Dining Hall made several changes this semester to its operations and menu options.
The most noticeable changes were the deli line being self-serve, a new from-scratch dough being used in the pizza line, the soft serve ice cream option was replaced and the pasta bar is now offered seven days a week.
Lisa Potter, assistant director for Winslow, said they are putting an emphasis on using made-from-scratch items instead of completely processed items, and they have made some changes to increase the productivity of the venue.
“This change (self-serve line) provides some efficiencies for both students as well as dining staff to concentrate on other food service needs,” Potter said.
The reason for some of these changes Potter said is because of the yearly continuous evaluation completed by the university staff.
“We look to provide the best and most popular option in terms of variety and quality to best serve patrons,” she said.
One change that did not go unnoticed is only service wraps in the deli line several times a week during lunch, rather than always having them as an option.
Another change students noticed was not being able to get take-out boxes during late-night hours. Potter said this change came out of the evaluation of the venue from the 2016-2017 academic year.
“A significant amount of infractions and disruptive actions by patrons was observed,” Potter said. “The decision was ultimately made to ensure a high-quality dining experience for all of our students.”
More changes to dining services venues is always a possibility in the future, and Potter said the staff is continuously evaluating the venues.
“University staff will continue to seek out and evaluate options that best serve our students, and always welcome feedback and suggestions from the campus community,” she said.
She said if students would like to make a comment about their dining experience, they can leave a comment on Murray State’s website.
Many students have also noticed the changes Winslow has made this last semester.
Drew Glover, sophomore from Mount Vernon, IN, said the change that she was most upset with was not offering stir fry every night.
“Having a dairy allergy really lowers the amount of options I have to eat and stir fry was one of my favorites,” Glover said.
The changes made to the deli line are what students like Glover noticed the most. Glover said she has no problems with the deli line being self-serve, but she does miss some of the options.
“If I could undo one of the changes it would be to the sandwich line,” Glover said. “They lowered the options you now have to make a sandwich, like the kinds of vegetables to put on your sandwich.”