Students Appreciate New Meal Time, But Few Make Use of Extra Minutes

Few students have been taking advantage of the lengthened dinner hours in the houses which went into effect at the beginning of the semester to help accommodate the schedules of athletes and other students.

The student-faculty Committee on House Life (COHL) decided last month to keep the house dining halls open until 7:15 p.m. nightly.

The decision came after athletes complained that they could not make it back to the houses for dinner if they were practicing across the river, prompting the Union to extend its hours until 7:30 p.m.

However, the committee decided last month that students might be better able to take advantage of the plan if they could eat late in their own houses.

The new dining schedule will not raise the cost of students' board contracts since the Union will now be closing 15 minutes earlier, dining officials said.

While students said they were pleased with the extended hours, dining hall workers said that the new schedule inconvenienced them.

Janice Dean, a full-time worker at Eliot House, said that she sees few students between 7 and 7:15 p.m. The low attendance does not warrant the longer dining hours, she added.

"It's an inconvenience for me," she said. "Most of the employees are very unhappy with the new hours. It makes for a lot of tension for employees. I wish it'd go back."

"We have three or four [students] a night after seven," said Jacqueline Detweiler, supervisor of the Kirkland House dining hall. "People aren't really used to it."

Since the Union has changed its hours, few people are frequenting it past 7 p.m., said dining hall officials. "The Union counts were pretty low," said Head of Dining Services Frank Weissbecker. He said that since this program was only a few days old, he could not tell whether many students took advantage of the extended hours.

But students said they liked the new plan. EvanO. Grossman '87-'88, a member of the COHL andchairman of the Undergraduate Council'sresidential committee, said, "It's a very workablesolution."

"Some people can study until 7 p.m. in thelibrary and then go to dinner," he said. "Theathletes can take a shower before coming home fordinner. Later dinner helps everybody."

Patti A. Washienko, an Eliot House junior,said, "It's great for the athletes. It makesdinner more relaxing."

Mike T. Von Rueden '88, a Kirkland Housefootball player, echoed her sentiments. "Athletesare always rushed to get in on time," he said."I'm sure it will be a big help--it's better forpeople with a late schedule.