Dining Halls Enhanced
John Soder, executive chef of dining services, holds some of the LaFarm produce used in the College dining halls.
“We have completed many projects in response to student feedback and will complete more enhancements this summer,” says Stephen Schafer, associate vice president of finance and business affairs.
“As part of the Connected Communities program, dining is integral to the residential college experience at Lafayette, and the dining halls provide important connection points in building community among our students,” says Annette Diorio, vice president for campus life. “Ensuring that the dining facilities meet our students’ expectations as well as our own is a critical component of the CCP’s goal of increasing class identity and enhancing students’ opportunities to socialize with one another.”
The dining hall renovations to Lower Café and Drake Dining Room earlier this year come on the heels of the College’s changes to meal plan participation announced at the start of the 2013-14 academic year and the College’s intentional efforts at enhancing student community through its residential dining program.
Renovations have added seating capacity and enhanced stations. “The main goal was to create better flow and to offer different concepts in each location for variety,” says Sarah Fried, general manager of dining services.
TVs and audio-visual displays were added to Lower Café. Serving areas now include a sushi station and a touch-screen ordering system. Hours of operation were expanded, as were “grab ’n go” options.
Drake Dining Room received aesthetic upgrades as well as additional seating, bar-style seating overlooking the Quad, and a new taqueria concept.
Marquis Café and the faculty dining room are being renovated this summer.
Dining Services will continue to use produce from LaFarm. The student-run farm composts food scraps from the dining halls, which is used to fertilize crops grown in the garden, which are in turn served in the dining halls.