Beginning Fall term, Dartmouth students will have significantly different dining options as Westside Buffet will cease regular operations and the newly-named Novack Caf in Berry Library will hold its grand opening.
Student demand for buffet-style dining has been gradually declining over the past few years, Director of Dining Services Tucker Rossiter said. The decline in demand has been reflected by cuts in Westside's operating hours down to the point where only one meal per day, four days per week is being offered.
"We've tried to do different things with Westside over the years, and we keep cutting back because the student use of that area is very limited," Rossiter said.
Rossiter, calling the decision to close the facility an economic one, estimated that Westside currently serves just 150 people in the course of an average day's operation.
There are currently no plans to convert the Westside space into a different type of dining facility or to replace it with another full-fare or buffet-style eatery somewhere else on campus.
"Right now, we're not planning to put anything back there as a permanent replacement," Rossiter said. Instead, the Westside facility will be used as additional seating space for Homeplate and Food Court.
Director of Athletics Richard Jaeger said he understands the reasons that prompted the decision to shutdown Westside, but said he hopes that the Athletic Department can work with DDS to accommodate the needs of people, including athletes, who want and need to eat a lot.
"I sympathize with their economic problems, but I'm also trying to look out for the dietary needs of the athletes," Jaeger said.
A program offering second entrees at reduced prices is being considered to reduce the cost of eating at the other DDS facilities, an idea Jaeger said is on the right track.
Rossiter said DDS is also looking to increase the number of special dining events, such as the popular Coast to Coast "dining extravaganza" held last week. The Westside facility may be used for these and other special events.
Westside will remain open this summer to cater to guests at the camps the College hosts, as well as during the fall athletic preseason.
Students returning to Dartmouth for Fall term will have the added dining option offered by the opening of the Novack Caf in conjunction with the inauguration of the Berry Library.
Scheduled to open for the first time on September 19, Novack Caf will be primarily a snack bar, offering only limited food service since most food will have to be brought from the Thayer Dining Hall facilities because of the lack of preparation facilities in the library.
A wide variety of beverages, such as soda, coffee, tea and juices will compliment the food that will be available, including pre-made sandwiches and pastries.
Although the schedule is tentative at this point, Rossiter said the caf will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Another change that DDS plans to make in the services they offer to students is the termination of the movie rental service at the Topside Convenience Store.
Rossiter said that demand for the movies has died off since the service was first offered. He cited the fact that Topside cannot generally offer movies for the first 30 to 60 days after they are first released on video as well as competition with other video stores in Hanover as factors in the decision.
DDS will hold a sale to liquidate its stock of videos, probably sometime towards the end of the summer.
