When students got back from spring break, they noticed changes to their dining hall. There was a wall that replaced fan-favorite booths and several soda machines.
Natalie Replogle, a freshman studying special education, said, “I came back from spring break and saw the giant wall, and I was like, ‘What's going on?’”
The University of Northern Colorado is making changes to Holmes Dining Hall, 22 years after its initial construction. Located on West Campus, Holmes is a buffet-style dining hall, where students swipe in once and can choose from several different meal options.
Posters hang on the wall just after the entrance to Holmes, displaying upcoming changes to the dining hall. The posters depict a new study area, with single booths that will have electrical outlets so students can charge their devices. This news raises questions for students.
“I think it’s interesting what they are going to do with the study room. I don’t know how that’s going to work," said Ryan Regos, a junior political science major. "Because people just come in and study anyways. I guess it will give them some quiet spots."
Currently, Holmes is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner in about two-hour increments. These hours don’t encourage students to study there. But with the renovations come new hours.
“The plan right now is that we are going to open at 7/7:30 in the morning and we will be open till 7/7:30 at night,” said Meagan Johnson, the director of dining services.
If a student is staying for multiple meals, an employee will walk around and ask them if they will be staying for the next meal period. If the student is, then the employee will take the student’s card, swipe it in for their meal and bring it back to them. The meal stations will not be open all day.
“So it’s not an all-day swipe. It’s still going to be able to swipe for three meals,” Johnson said.
At Holmes, students put their belongings like coats, backpacks and water bottles into cubbies. This rule was implemented so that visually impaired students or students who need walking aids can navigate through Holmes without issue. With this new study area, this plan needs to be reconsidered.
“Cubbies are going to stay. We ask that folks still use those," Johnson said. "You can bring in your stuff because we are going to allow you to study. You need to bring in your bag sometimes, I get that."
Instead of leaving backpacks on the ground, hooks will be installed on the bottom of the tables where students can hang their bags.
There are also plans to add a patio outside the windows that face Turner Green, with Adirondack chairs, picnic swing tables and a weather-resistant concrete piano.
The plan is to reopen Holmes on Aug. 1.
“The seating that we have right now is just not conducive to the community that we have here at UNC, and we want to make sure that we are building a better sense of belonging for folks,” Johnson said.
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