Students dressed in their Saturday afternoon sweats shuffled through Pollock's dining hall, picking and choosing from the vast array of dining possibilities. Seated at metallic-looking tables, students gazed out of the huge windows that provide a view of the quad.

"It's beautiful, the way they remodeled it. It's almost too nice," said Angela Lynch (senior-American studies), looking around the dining hall as she enjoyed buttered pierogies..

The University tried to make college life more like home, increasingly providing many extras for its on-campus students. All students have microfridges and telephones in their rooms and many are supplied with appliances such as frozen yogurt machines, waffle irons and woks when they eat in the dining halls.

"We want to provide a better home for students and to make the residence halls as attractive and positive a place as we can," said Fred Fotis, director of housing services.

Fotis admitted that competition from downtown businesses influences the University's efforts. But for the most part, the University provides such perks because "we want to do as good a job as we can do," he said.

Dave Maish (senior-pre-medicine), who lives in Atherton Hall, appreciates his microfridge. The small unit fits nicely into his single, he said, surveying the surroundings -- a television, a bed, a desk and clean clothes hanging in the window -- the hallmarks of college life.

William Shipp (freshman-geography) said he approves of the University-provided items.

"I don't think any of it's wasteful. Everybody uses everything," he said, watching his Raisin Bran soak in milk.

Shipp said some students wouldn't survive without appliances like microwaves, toasters or waffle irons.

Students like Staci Bruce (senior-broadcast/cable), who now live off campus, comes back to eat in the dining halls because of the special perks.

"It's a treat for me," she said.

Ideas for these "treats" come from national conferences and shows and other similar-sized universities, Fotis said.

Penn State also offers cable to its students. Only West and Centre halls await installation, which should be completed by next fall.

But most suggestions for these perks come from comment boxes outside the dining halls, or from talking with students, said Lisa Wandel, assistant director of food services.

Although most responses are comical, the serious ones are sincerely addressed, she said, adding that four years ago, students requested microwaves in the dining halls and now they have them.

Barry Scerbo, director of food services, said he and Wandel also meet monthly with the president and vice president of the Association of Residence Halls Students to discuss student needs.

Kathy Corbett, dorm advisory board director, said she tells Scerbo and Wandel when things are missed. She added that when the woks were removed from Findlay Commons, ARHS told Scerbo and they were reinstalled.

These efforts to improve student comforts add up to 7,000 microfridges, each costing between $300 and $400 a piece, and telephones, more waffle irons and woks. The appliances are paid for by revenue from meal plans and boarding costs.

David Gingher, manager of the HUB Eateries, said the office is self-supporting and receives no state or tuition funds or extra money from the University.

"Our goal is to provide a service and break even," he said.

Students like Charlie Grabe (junior-art education) are not concerned about money spent on these extras.

"Everything goes into the bill," he said. "I'm not really worried about it. If I had to pay for it out of my pocket, I might be mad."

Josephine Ing (junior-biology) said "what goes around comes around." Although she may not use the microwave her meal plan paid for, she probably uses another dining hall appliance, so the money isn't wasted.

The Office of Housing and Food Service Operations is working on future ideas. Gingher said renovations are being planned for the HUB.

Scerbo said next year the dining halls will have a new menu that will incorporate foods from countries on the Pacific Ocean. Because today's students are more "sophisticated" in their tastes, "We try to develop diversity in the program to satisfy everyone's palettes," he said.