2008 Woodie Awards
Lottie Bookbag Debacle
Dining Services Scraps Ban, Searching for Creative Answer to Problems
Naomi Smith
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: News
Before college officially began, the 'No Bookbags in Lottie' policy was introduced to Messiah students through a mass email. Only days later the ban was lifted, due to students' objections, but many questions were left unanswered. Perhaps the most important question is: why the ban on bookbags?
The email says that space was a concern, but most Messiah students, along with the "New No Bookbags in Lottie Policy" facebook group, believe that the real reasoning behind the policy is to cut down on stolen food. This suspicion is bolstered by the anti-theft signs in front of Lottie.
The Director of Dining Services, Mark Wirtz, says that there were actually three concerns addressed in the bookbag ban. The clutter of bags does cause accidents and presents a genuine safety hazard. Another concern is sanitation: large bags and equipment being dragged into any restaurant is not an ideal situation.
The final issue is indeed theft. "Lottie is created to be an 'all you can eat' facility in the facility," he says. "When students take food out for other meals, that will be reflected in the meal price."
This isn't to say that no food can be taken out of Lottie. Ice cream cones that are being eaten while exiting and the 'bagel rush' before chapel are instances that Mr. Wirtz is aware of and that Lottie can support.
As of now, there is no plan to address the theft issue, but Dining Services may not have to come up with a new policy on their own. Thanks to a thread started by Cody Miller on the "New No Bookbags in Lottie Policy" group, students are taking it upon themselves to offer solutions to the problem. Although a practical resolution has yet to be reached, the dialogue has been polite and extremely becoming of Messiah students.
Ory Bower, the listed leader on the Facebook group, says that he and his friends started the group to make the policy known to the students and give them "ample time to voice their concerns and opinions to Dining Services in a timely, respectful manner."
The email says that space was a concern, but most Messiah students, along with the "New No Bookbags in Lottie Policy" facebook group, believe that the real reasoning behind the policy is to cut down on stolen food. This suspicion is bolstered by the anti-theft signs in front of Lottie.
The Director of Dining Services, Mark Wirtz, says that there were actually three concerns addressed in the bookbag ban. The clutter of bags does cause accidents and presents a genuine safety hazard. Another concern is sanitation: large bags and equipment being dragged into any restaurant is not an ideal situation.
The final issue is indeed theft. "Lottie is created to be an 'all you can eat' facility in the facility," he says. "When students take food out for other meals, that will be reflected in the meal price."
This isn't to say that no food can be taken out of Lottie. Ice cream cones that are being eaten while exiting and the 'bagel rush' before chapel are instances that Mr. Wirtz is aware of and that Lottie can support.
As of now, there is no plan to address the theft issue, but Dining Services may not have to come up with a new policy on their own. Thanks to a thread started by Cody Miller on the "New No Bookbags in Lottie Policy" group, students are taking it upon themselves to offer solutions to the problem. Although a practical resolution has yet to be reached, the dialogue has been polite and extremely becoming of Messiah students.
Ory Bower, the listed leader on the Facebook group, says that he and his friends started the group to make the policy known to the students and give them "ample time to voice their concerns and opinions to Dining Services in a timely, respectful manner."
Be the first to comment on this story