The Delphian: Adelphi University

It's 8:00 p.m. and you're hungry. The UC is closed, so you leave your dorm and make your way over to Post. There you are greeted by fans that are filthy black, tiles on the wall that are shades of grey and window ledges that are filled with garbage, inches of dust, and food drippings.

Sbarro's has already closed, so your only option for a hot meal is the "Panter" Grill, a.k.a. Panther Grill, but one of the lights blew out and was never fixed. At Panther Grill you can order from an assortment of heart attack inducing fried foods such as country fried chicken sandwiches, French fries, onion rings, Jamaican beef patties, mozzarella sticks, and hamburgers.

You order and then look down at the bottom of your receipt to read that Lackmann Culinary Services wishes that students have a great semester. Then you realize, you're not even half way done with your first semester and have a whole year left ahead of you of eating Lackmann food. Even the thought of that makes you want to throw up.

Students polled on the subject of Adelphi's food service concerned themselves not only with the food selection, but with the cost and convenience of the store at Post and the UC. Angelynn Doll, a freshman at Adelphi said, "The people who run the store don't seem to realize that we live here; they are like a monopoly because for those of us who don't have a car, the convenience store is all we have. The prices are double and triple the prices at a supermarket. It's so ridiculous."

A survey comparing the prices at a local 7-Eleven to those at Post showed that prices on approximately all items were double in cost. A box of cereal at Post cost $6.59 while a box of cereal at 7-Eleven costs $3.99. The management at Post declined further comment on this issue, but said that students are paying for the convenience of the store and that Post doesn't have large storage space so they buy in small amounts, which costs more. Therefore, this leads to higher food prices for the student.

Freshman Jimmy Buckingham said, "Post also doesn't have a good selection. I don't need to eat seven different kinds of oatmeal or grape lollipops; I am not six! But, I would like more practical things like stamps so I can write back home."

The manager at Post was unavailable for comment. However, Gary Spector, manager of the UC Cafeteria who oversees employees and makes sure everything in the cafeteria runs smoothly, returned a call and was willing to speak about the food services. In defense of his work and Lackmann workers he said, "If students are unhappy regarding the food service, we want to fix it. It's important to us because we all have families to support." He said that if students have concerns regarding the food service, they should attend a food committee meeting, where Lackmann will take suggestions and listen to student concerns.

Spector also mentioned that the chief cook plans meals out four weeks in advance so changes can't be made instantly. However, at the last meeting, students wanted more home-style cooking so he plans to the menu to adapt this. The next food committee meeting will be held in November, and Spector said that he will try to honor requests made at that time.

Regarding the expensive prices featured in the stores and for meals, Spector said, "We do suggest pricing, but it's all approved by Adelphi first. Due to inflation rates, the prices are rising because the places where we buy the food from are charging us more. There hasn't been a major price increase in the last three or four years, but this year prices have risen."