Umphrey Lee Center cafeteria is getting a drastic makeover during the winter break.
“We want to make it a place to hang out… ‘Cafeteria’ doesn’t cut it anymore,” said Edward Devoid, director of food services.
The stations in the cafeteria are changing names and serving methods, according to dining services officials. For example, the station currently called “Home and Healthy” will offer a carved item, and the entrees will be cooked to order. Its name will change to “Comfort.”
A dessert station will also be added in the seating area of the cafeteria.
“There will be an attendant at the station preparing desserts, icing cakes, cutting bar cookies, etc.” said Tim West, marketing manager of the SMU dining services.
“Grill” and “Deli” will remain the same, except that the french fries in “Grill” will become self-serve, and “Deli” will offer kosher pickle wedges.
The cafeteria is also getting a fresh new look. Devoid and West want to add movable wall graphics to make the ambience appeal more to the student population. Marketing representatives from Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap and Disney are helping the dining services staff create retro and vintage images to fit the customers’ lifestyle.
At the start of next semester, Umphrey Lee Center food court will also have different hours. It will be open without any breaks from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Officials hope that these time changes will better accommodate students’ schedules.
“We’re trying to create an atmosphere that is conducive to [the students’] needs,” West said.
A program called Real Food on Campus is helping to bring about these changes. The program was founded by students and started by Aramark, which is the company that assists dining at SMU. It is a national program that surveys students ages 18-24 in university newspapers and on the Internet. According to Devoid, it is a way for students to say what they need.
The process is going to be a work in progress, according to officials. Over winter break the appearance of the cafeteria will be changed, as will service procedures. The staff will also receive new uniforms throughout all of next semester. The second phase will incorporate different furniture, including couches and other comfortable places to sit. By fall 2003, new stations will be in place. There is no set ending time for this project.
“We want to be able to move with the times,” West said.
The ultimate goal of this project is to make the dining experience more club-like, or as Devoid puts it, “a membership to fit lifestyle needs.” Like a club membership, the student would have absolute input into anything that’s going on.
Devoid and West hope to create an area where students will go because they want to, not because they have to. They plan on having an area for a coffee shop atmosphere for poetry readings and acoustic performances. They also hope to put in TVs or a drop-down screen so that students can watch movies while they eat. Eventually, Devoid plans on adding a wireless Internet connection in the cafeteria so students can use the Umphrey Lee Center food court as a place to do homework as well.
These changes will take place with no additional cost to the students. However, Devoid and West will be looking for continuous feedback as to how the dining experience can improve. Anyone with comments, questions, or suggestions can go to www.smudining.com.
“If I can get better participation and feedback, I can do more,” Devoid said.
