Simmons Dining Hall will close at the end of the spring semester, marking the loss of another dining hall in South Halls and a farewell to exclusively healthy dining facilities on campus.
The dining hall will close after the end of the 2009-10 academic year to make space for more on-campus residences, Director of Housing Conal Carr said. A year ago, McElwain Dining Hall was closed for the same reason.
Some students said they were disappointed to see the haven of healthy eating choices close.
"It's a shame because it's the only place on campus you can get nutritional food," Christine Simcox (sophomore-nutrition) said. "Everywhere else is greasy and not as good quality."
Other students said they will miss the convenience of living in South Halls and having the option of healthy eating so close to their dorm.
"I eat here every single day -- I love the food and all the choices," Susie Della Rocca (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said. "I'm hoping they can relocate it. I'll be really sad if they don't."
Carr said Simmons is currently the only totally healthy eating option on campus.
But there are healthy foods for students to choose from in every dining hall, he said, adding that Redifer Dining Commons in the South Halls residence area was recently remodeled.
Simmons is in a great location to build new dorm rooms, Carr said. He was not able to confirm if there will be another dining hall committed to serving only healthy food, but some students hope that is the case.
Laura Egan (freshman-world language education) said she is upset to see Simmons close because of what it offered to those who chose to dine there.
"I know a lot of people that go here just for the nutritional food," Egan said. "I'm wondering if they'll have healthy options at other dining halls now."
Collegian staff writer Samantha Kramer contributed to this report.
