Just as Ferris’ dining hall Center Ice closed its doors last year, there have been rumors that Westview may be closing its doors as well.
Ferris sophomore Sandy Morgel said, “I think it would be very inconvenient for all of north campus, especially in the winter. No one is really going to want to walk all the way to the Rock to eat when it is freezing outside.”
Lori Helmer, Director of Dining Services Administration and Staff, said this rumor is strictly fiction.
Helmer said the university’s goal was to have two main dining hubs on campus, which includes one dining hall on south campus and one on north campus.
Although patron enrollment seems to be higher at the Rock Café, Helmer said as students establish their living habits and dining patterns, enrollment at both dining halls will level out.
“As students settle in and really require more study time and utilize FLITE more, Westview patron clients will pick up,” said Helmer.
In reference to Center Ice closing last year, she said the dining hall closed “as a result of the lack of participation there.”
“When we talked to students on west campus last year, they preferred to eat at the Rock,” said Helmer.
She said prior to the planning of closing Center Ice, dining staff requested the opinions of students who resided on west campus in regards to the shutting down of the dining hall.
Helmer said they determine what serves students best by instituting the two main hubs (dining halls) on north and south campus.
“When we created the Rock concept, one of the goals was to create a gathering place where students could study or just gather to socialize, and it really has done that,” said Helmer.
Although Westview will not close, Helmer said, “Hopefully, sometime in the future, we’ll be able to renovate the Rankin Building.”
She said there are currently no plans to remodel the Rankin Center, but if the renovation does happen, the university will help maintain convenience with dining services for students.
“If we had to shut down Westview, we would have to reopen Center Ice to accommodate students,” said Helmer.
As the university did in the past during the renovation of the Rock Café, a busing service would be planned.
“We certainly look forward to a renovation of the Rankin Center that hasn’t yet been determined by the university,” said Helmer. n