In ASG, if at first you don’t succeed, legislate, legislate again.
Laura Ellis, student services vice president for the Associated Student Government, met with Norris University Center administrators Monday and proposed changes to an ASG bill last week that called for longer hours for Willie’s Food Court.
Ellis has written an amendment that would change the bill from extending Willie’s hours to improving the quality and efficiency of Willie’s Too.
The amendment calls for Norris to slowly introduce new food items, such as pizza, chicken nuggets and “pizza burgers” to Willie’s Too while shortening lines by improving employee efficiency.
Ellis said that if implemented, the new proposal would accomplish the original bill’s goals while being more feasible for Norris to implement.
“This is getting students everything the original bill was trying to,” said Ellis, a Weinberg junior. “It’s the same result, just a different action. If it works better for Norris and it works better for students, then it’s a better solution.”
Willie’s Too opened Nov. 27, but the excitement surrounding the new food options began to fade when students discovered that Willie’s Food Court now closed three-and-a-half hours earlier, at 7:30 p.m.
ASG has been investigating student complaints about long lines at checkouts and the limited availability of hot meals after 7:30 p.m.
“It usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes for them to make a sandwich,” said Speech junior Elder Granger. “They usually have (the same) person taking the order, making your sandwich and checking you out. It takes up a lot of time.”
Weinberg junior Ellen Chube said long lines at the Willie’s Too Sub Connection could compel students to sneak away with their subs.
“I’m an honest person, but if I already have my sandwich, I’m not going to wait 15 minutes to pay for it,” she said. “A less trustworthy person might just take the sandwich and walk off.”
Norris Director Bill Johnston said he could not extend Willie’s Food Court hours because the income generated by longer hours did not meet staffing costs.
“I would never consider opening Willie’s (after 7:30 p.m.) until we’ve maximized the potential of Willie’s Too,” Johnston said. “But if we can’t solve these problems, we’ll look at other answers. Things can’t go on the way they are now.”
Joe Mroczkowski, associate director of Norris, said plans to improve Willie’s Too would be easier to implement than extending Willie’s Food Court hours.
Willie’s Too already has added microwaveable kosher meals to its menu in response to student demand.
Concern that a push for longer hours would have little effect made Ellis hesitant to support the original bill, she said. But she said she is happy that the bill opened up a dialogue with Norris administrators to improve Norris dining.
“It’s better because it keeps relations with Norris staff and administrators positive,” Ellis said. “It shows students are willing to cooperate with administrators and make compromises.”
