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The Rice Thresher
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by Mark Berenson Thresher Editorial Staff
While there has been enough food for students coming to lunch and dinner, seating and flatware have run short, and the lack of seating has upset some Hanszen College students. As a result, the college is planning to have one dinner a week limited to Hanszenites. According to Housing and Dining figures, the servery served four times as many meals as Wiess College served last week, and twice as many as any other college. Hanszen President Erik Vanderlip said the food quality is excellent, and the kitchen staff has made sure there is enough hot food to serve all the students. Assistant Director of Food Operations Rebecca Scheiner said students like the food at Hanszen because the new equipment allows it to be cooked faster and in smaller batches, resulting in fresher meals. H&D Director Mark Ditman said students also like being able to see the food cooked. Vanderlip said there has been a shortage of tables in the commons because the only tables in use are those from the old Hanszen Commons. The old commons was demolished in June of this year and is to be rebuilt by the end of this school year. Hanszen is currently using the new Wiess College building's commons. Vanderlip said also that only a certain number of tables can fit in the commons. "We've had people who have gone upstairs, where there are some couches, to eat, and I would estimate that 10 to 20 people were eating on the floor at any given time, which isn't cool," Vanderlip, a senior, said. "It isn't sanitary, it's not fun." According to Ditman, Brown College and Wiess donated tables for the commons to Hanszen to alleviate the problem. Also, Vanderlip said tables and folding chairs originally meant to be used for training table, held 7-8 p.m. on weekdays, are in the servery, and students are now allowed to eat at them. However, Vanderlip said the location of the tables is not ideal. "You'd rather eat in the commons instead of the kitchen," Vanderlip said. Scheiner said the servery is running out of silverware and plates because people get food and take it back to their respective colleges. "We ordered a whole bunch of silverware and china," Scheiner said. "We have a lot of folks grabbing the food and going back to Wiess to eat." Vanderlip said students are going to Hanszen because of the food quality and because the loss of training table at Sammy's Cafe forces athletes to eat at the servery after 7 p.m. "Training table has brought over a lot of athletes even during lunch," Vanderlip said. "The athletes, instead of going back to their own colleges before seven, a lot of them are choosing to eat at Hanszen, when officially they can go back to their own colleges." Ditman estimated that roughly two-thirds of athletes eating in colleges are eating at Hanszen. Vanderlip said he thought the proximity of the servery to the athletic practice facilities was another factor in varsity athletes' decisions to eat there. Some athletes agreed there were several reasons they went to Hanszen to eat. "The lines are too long at Wiess," Toni Ciffolilli, a swimmer, said. "Instead of waiting a half an hour, I can go in to eat straightaway." Ciffolilli, a Wiess sophomore, said she eats almost all her dinners and some lunches at Hanszen. "I go because the food is presented prettier and there is more selection," Jackie Corcoran, also a swimmer and a Wiess sophomore, said. "They always have tuna and we never have tuna at the other colleges, and I love tuna." Some Hanszen students said they resented students from other colleges eating in their commons. "I get very upset because they are from all the other colleges, and I want to be around people from Hanszen," Sarah Tuuri, a sophomore, said. "I think it is ruining the college system." Other Hanszenites said they understood why other students were eating at Hanszen. "I can't blame them," Tim Huegerich, a Hanszen junior, said. "College cohesiveness might be hurting a little bit, so I like the idea that we wear Hanszen shirts one day." At the Aug. 29 cabinet meeting. Vanderlip said students brought up problems with having people from other colleges eat at Hanszen, including the difficulty of upperclassmen meeting freshmen. However, Vanderlip said the final decision was against consistently stopping or deterring people from eating at Hanszen. "If I'm at another college and I'm hungry and want some good food, and I want to go to Hanszen, I want to feel welcome," Vanderlip said. "We want people to feel welcome to come to Hanszen." However, at Wednesday's cabinet, the college has tentatively decided to have family-style dining, limited to Hanszen students, once a week. The meal would resemble those at other colleges, with a limited menu. No day of the week for family style was chosen at the cabinet meeting. However, Vanderlip said it could start as soon as next week. On this night, athletes would still be able to eat, but would be required to sit in the servery. Vanderlip said at the meeting that H&D recommended this plan. He added that because of Hanszen's special circumstances, limiting the students allowed to eat dinner at Hanszen is appropriate. "This would be considered a Hanszen special event, like a college night," Vanderlip said. "This is a way to encourage Hanszen people to eat together." Vanderlip said he sees this situation as a great opportunity for the college. "When people talk about their number one complaint after they graduate from Rice, it is not knowing people from other colleges," Vanderlip said. "What a great opportunity for that, and we should really take advantage of that." Vanderlip said he thought it was wonderful for the Hanszen students to be able to interact with varsity athletes. "That's one of the things that has been really cool for Hanszenites," Vanderlip said. "I feel fortunate that we are able to do that." Vanderlip said his main concerns were that all Hanszen students be able to eat at tables and that the Hanszen Commons be respected. "We've had people banging on our nice piano, and we've had people playing with the stereo equipment," Vanderlip said. "When our stuff becomes disrespected and not taken care of, or when Hanszenites can't eat like they should be able to in their own commons, that's when I start to get worried."
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