Students’ daily dining experience in the Union has been revamped. Students are still eating the same rice bowls from Panda Express and curly fries from Grill Nation, but now they sit at new tables and seats as they scarf down their cheese-smothered burritos.
The furniture surrounding the Union Food Court had become weathered, and Union Administration noticed. There are now mod red plastic chairs, sleek metallic stools and shining laminate tables, as well as a new stainless-steel bar that lines the southwest-facing windows
“The old furniture was falling apart and was looking very dated,” said Branden Dalley, associate director of development for the Union. “We need to provide spaces where students can feel comfortable, and the old furniture was becoming problematic,”
Jake Baesler, a sophomore in elementary education, said the old tables looked dirty and unsanitary.
“The new furniture gives the cafeteria a much more refreshing atmosphere,” Baesler said.
The new tables and chairs were also placed in the basement overflow, where many students prefer to eat because there is less noise.
University Surplus and Salvage collected the retired furniture and auctioned it off to various education and government agencies. The department often gathers the U’s unwanted items to sell or recycle rather than send to a landfill.
Dalley said: “It’s important to have nice-looking spaces in the Union, as it is the community center of campus.”
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