In an unexpected mid-semester switch, two major changes to the dining system were implemented at St. Lawrence University: a new tap-to-scan card system has replaced the traditional swipe, and the GET Mobile app is gone – replaced by the “Mobile Ordering OnDemand” website. Reactions from students and staff are mixed, reflecting both optimism and concern over convenience, usability and student experience.
The transition, which occurred a few weeks into the start of the fall semester on Sept. 24, caught many students off guard. Keith Omane-Agyei ‘26 voiced frustration with the timing of the switch. “I think that they shouldn’t have done it in the middle of the year. I feel like they easily could have experimented during the summer,” he said. Omane-Agyei also pointed out a pattern of poor timing with institutional changes, referencing one of the many controversial dormitory moves from previous years. “Last year they had the freshmen move from Whitman to the other buildings in the middle of winter during finals week,” he said. “I think that was the worst possible time to do something like that. So I think the school might have a slight problem with timing.” The learning curve for the new Mobile Ordering OnDemand platform added to his frustrations. “I didn’t know how to order a meal exchange. To find out, I had to go there in person for the first week of school, which was frustrating,” he said. As a student-athlete on SLU’s football team, Omane-Agyei pays special attention to fulfilling his nutritional needs by consuming significant meals each day.
Beyond frustrations with the technology of the website itself, students also reflect on concerns about food availability and accessibility in the dining halls. For Omane-Agyei, post-practice hunger met limited options when ‘Dana Isn’t Dana-ing’. “Three days ago, I tried to come into Dana after a hard practice, and there was nothing good for me to eat – there was fish. And the last time I had fish, I got food poisoning. So I had to settle for Chinese food,” he said. Omane-Agyei explained feeling the need to go off campus to purchase food. “And I don’t want to spend more money when I’m already paying to be here,” he said. Despite these frustrations, Omane-Agyei has worked at Dana himself and offers empathy for dining hall staff navigating the transition. “I completely understand. A lot of them get heckled for things that are out of their control,” said Omane-Agyei. “Like the first week I worked there was when they switched the plates, and people were yelling at me about it – and all I did was wash dishes.” We must keep in mind that this is a difficult transition for all of us. The lovely food staff are not the enemy!
For Food Service Generalist Brenda Moore, although the changes have felt fast, they have also brought positives. The new tap system allows Moore to interact more easily with students. “I do like it because it shows the name and the student – the full name – so I can interact with them. And the other one did not do that,” said Moore, also noting improved efficiency. “It’s quicker in most senses because they can just ‘tap and go, tap and go!’ Over there, it was very sensitive, and they had to do it just right, and it took longer.” However, Moore also acknowledged the challenges of rolling out a new system without a fallback structure in place. “They could have worked on it before we started actually using it. I’m not sure if that was possible or not… that’s the bad part about it – there’s no backup system,” she said.
Moore has maintained her sanguine attitude despite the stress brought on by this transition. “I love working at Dana, and I like to be the Walmart greeter – no! The Dana greeter.” It is important for us all to remember where to target any potential negativity. It is okay to have frustrations and anger with the system. It is unacceptable to take out our emotions on the human beings who work hard every single day to serve us food and treat us with kindness and respect.
As students and staff adjust to the new system, the need for clearer communication and considerate timing has become even more apparent. While change is an inherent part of campus life and one of the only consistent aspects of life itself, the way in which future changes are introduced and integrated should be preceded by more thought. It can, and it will determine the experience of students, faculty and staff.