As the 2022-23 academic school year continues, LBCC’s cafeteria remains closed with little to no viable solutions for the gaping hole this closure has left in students’ needs.
Students’ access to affordable food has been limited on campus. With only access to vending machines and highly processed foods with high prices, students are left with no real meals to eat.
LBCC has now gone almost a year without an established caterer after the closure of its cafeteria in late 2022. Its previously partnered catering company declared bankruptcy and promptly shuttered its services.
Despite the school’s effort to bring in temporary solutions, such as onsight food trucks and various food vendors, this doesn’t change the fact that LBCC administration has failed to provide more permanent catering options on campus.
The few places that are available for students, such as the Viking Express, bookstore, or the newly reopened bakery at LAC close in the early hours of the school day. By 4 p.m., LAC’s food options are reduced to nearly zero.
“I have classes from the morning to the evening and if I want to eat something I’d probably have to go all the way to LBX, which is really stressful for me since I’d rather just eat here if we had a cafeteria,” said Kosi Ifeorah, an LBCC student.
After speaking to Bob Rapoza, director of business support services, he vaguely described the administration’s plans for the cafeteria.
“COVID definitely played a big factor in [the corporation] going bankrupt, but there are certainly other catering companies looking to take their place. We are planning on tearing down building E, completely redoing the cafeteria with new infrastructure and getting a new catering provider in the space. For now, though, we are looking at temporary solutions, and looking to implement short-term and long-term solutions based on what works.” said Rapoza.
Rapoza’s response left us with more questions than answers. We are still left questioning whether the cafeteria closure will be resolved in a timely manner. It seems as if there is a lack of understanding of the severity of the issue.
There has not been much variety with the food trucks and vendors stationed on campus. Typically serving fried and processed foods seems to be the go-to temporary option for a meal plan, as Rapoza mentioned. But there is still much to think about when it comes to students’ ability to find an appealing meal.
The issue of not having a cafeteria has not only created a hassle for students but has greatly limited the range of prices one can expect to find food on or around campus.
Every day, students are forced to navigate between buying overpriced snacks from school vending machines, paying $12-$20 for a meal from off-campus vendors, or simply choosing not to eat.
“The food trucks are kind of expensive, some of them are ridiculously expensive, over twenty dollars for lunch is way too much. If I do eat here, I’ll just bring my own lunch,” said LBCC student Matthew Ruth.
There needs to be more haste on the LBCC administration’s part in getting a permanent caterer on both campuses. For now, their reliance on exterior restaurants, vendors, and meager convenience stores facilitates the hunger of their student body and leaves more to be desired.