UWS works to ease cafeteria crowding

by Ciera Draper, Staff Writer

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With the recent rise in the number of students staying on campus there have been many reports of overcrowding in the Yellowjacket Union. 

The number of meal plans as of Mon., Sept. 20 is 691.  This is an increase of 85 meal plans from Sept. of last year.  To help soften this increase the cafeteria added 12 new seats making the total seating capacity for the room 250.

Gail Archambault, director of the Yellowjacket Union, states, “We have to be careful about not exceeding the room capacity.  The room capacity includes the people who are working in this space.” 

The crunch time is what is creating trouble and is usually Mon., Wed. and Fri. from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  This is the only time many students have free time to grab a bite to eat, and therein lies the hard truth. 

 “We know that there is a crunch time at noon, in particular there has never been a seat for every student on the meal plan, ever. You cannot build a facility to provide a seat for every student who has a meal plan for the twenty minutes to thirty minutes of your crunch,” said Archambault. 

Food Service Cashier Kathy Christiansen is well aware of this crunch time but has not seen many seating problems.

“I think by the time some students eat and they come through, some students are done. So they pretty well flow out.  Actually I think that for as many students that are on the meal plan it’s flowing pretty good,” said Christiansen.

While the line outside the Union Café does look intimidating, many students are still choosing to dine at the Café during the “crunch time.”  Sophomore Rachel Leiser says that she has had moments where she couldn’t find a seat right away.

“I just walk around and eventually I find a seat,” said Leiser. 

Some students are even catching on and coming at different times.  Richard Wehmas, a freshman, said he too had trouble finding a seat, “Just the one time, and then I just went at different times, so now it’s easier.”

Archambault reccomends if diners are by themselves or in a group of two, try sitting at the counter or a small table.

“I know that there’s not everybody in every seat, and that’s part of the problem,” said Archambault. “You need to sit with other people and if you’re by yourself please don’t take a booth.  I don’t care if they take a booth anytime except 11:45 am to 12:30 pm Monday-Friday.”