Since her freshman year, political theory and constitutional democracy junior Raynika Brown has worked in Brody Hall’s cafeterias and never had a problem with her job. Until this year. MSU’s Housing and Food Services has made a few changes to the dining halls across campus. As a result, student cafeteria employees say they are understaffed and are struggling to adjust to the new dining hall schedules.
One cafeteria in each complex is open until midnight every night, Sunday dinners are now served, Totally Takeouts have been revamped and unlimited meal plans are now the norm.
More changes, less communication
Although the extended hours have benefited many students, some cafeteria workers said they are suffering because of it.
“Upon these changes, it has been really stressful for me and a lot of people that work here,” Brown, a student supervisor, said during a dinner shift. “There are a lot of unanswered questions, a lot of fingers being pointed, and the majority of our problem is actually trying to get to the root of the problem of why things are like this and what can we do to fix it. Not only that, but why our ideas aren’t being put forth.”
Bruce Haskell, director of housing and food services, said communication can always be better.
“Effective communication is hard to find at any level of an organization,” Haskell said. “If we want to do our best to serve guests, we have to work hard at effective communication.”
Still transitioning
Feeling understaffed and transitioning to the new rules is a large part of the distress student employees are feeling, said Lauren Durante, a retailing senior and student supervisor.
“It’s only the third week and we already lost two people on this specific shift,” Durante said Monday evening.
“Every time we come into work, something is different. They say that things change so often, and they don’t want to necessarily tell us because they don’t know if it’s going to continue.”
Paul Gadola, dining service manager for Brody Hall, said as they are in the process of employing as many students as possible, some workers might have to bounce around to cover a station they aren’t used to.
“It has to do with the function of the staff on duty and what our needs are at that time,” Gadola said. “Jobs are usually the same on a day-to-day basis. The changes are just for the beginning stages.”
Struggles at other sites
Brody is not the only cafeteria where certain workers have concerns about the overall work environment.
“Management communication in Snyder-Phillips is definitely not at the level I want it to be,” said Ben Chabala, a telecommunication junior.
“One of the biggest problems I think management is having is just that we are very understaffed and the work ethic of a lot of the students just is not there. People don’t show up for shifts and don’t ever get substitutes to replace them so I think that management is playing catch up most of the time just trying to get the stations staffed.”
Totally busy? Totally available
Totally Takeout has also seen some changes this year. Before, Some students were known for stopping in just to grab some items to stock their dorm rooms, with seven bags of chips and seven beverages, for example, adding up to 14 points, the allowed amount per visit.
This year all of that has changed, Haskell said. Brody, Landon, McDonel and Wilson halls now have Totally Takeout Express. There is less variety than the original Totally Takeout, offering a packaged submarine sandwich or premade salad to go along with two cookies, a piece of fruit, a bag of chips and a beverage.
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Students can only visit Totally Takeout or Totally Takeout Express once a day, as opposed to twice, which was allowed the last couple of years, Haskell said.
Elizabeth McKeen, a communication freshman, said TTO Express is crucial, because it gives those running from class to class an opportunity to grab food when they don’t have time to sit down and eat in the cafeteria.
“If I was really busy, I would definitely use it as a time saver,” McKeen said.
Shaw Hall is the only spot on campus where a student can go for an extended variety of TTO items, such as hot dogs, soft pretzels, nachos, made-to-order sandwiches and miniature pizzas.
Haskell has heard students complain about the lack of variety in TTO Express and the changes compared to last year. However, Haskell said he receives more feedback about the late night pizza in the cafeterias.
“They tell me, ‘It rocks,’” he said.
“Attendance at TTO is way down, but in Holmes from 8 p.m. to midnight, they will get between 900 and 1,000 people a night. South Complex is about the same. It is a service that students value.”
Sean Ely can be reached at elysean@msu.edu.
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