Deficits in ISU Dining Services’ budget may lead to the elimination of lunch services at the Memorial Union’s Maintenance Shop.

Jon Lewis, director of campus dining, said ISU Dining Services has made the recommendation to eliminate lunch services at the M-Shop to Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs.

He said the decision came after the Board of Regents expressed concern over the dining service’s budget deficit.

“We’ve been directed to eliminate the deficit in dining,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the department doesn’t have the money to justify keeping the M-Shop’s lunch services open. He said its deficit for the year through January was $8,847.44. He said the deficit from all retail dining services, including the M-Shop, cafes and the other food options in the Memorial Union, totaled more than $600,000.

Lewis said other ISU Dining facilities are also under review.

“We anticipate eliminating our deficit for next year,” he said.

William Rock, vice president of the Government of the Student Body, said he has heard just about everything about the M-Shop closing — including that it might close as early as Friday.

Jon Lewis said a final decision will not be made until Hill has had enough time to review the recommendation. Hill will then approve the closing or suggest possible alternative solutions.

“I don’t anticipate a decision will be made by Monday,” he said.

Di Boeckmann, graduate student in English, said she has eaten lunch at the M-Shop frequently for decades.

Boeckmann said she thinks it’s important to keep the M-Shop open not only because of its value to Iowa State, but also because of its value to the Ames community.

“It’s a cultural institution in this town,” she said.

As far as the M-Shop being a cultural institution, Lewis said, “find money to subsidize it.”

“There are enough food venues in the Union to serve our customers,” he said.

Lewis said he wanted to stress that they are not closing the M-Shop, just eliminating its lunch services.

Annie Stephan, senior in anthropology, said she thinks the M-Shop offers better food and is cheaper than the other dining options in the Memorial Union’s food court.

“There’s good music, and the food’s way healthier,” she said.

Stephan said she has been eating there three times a week for the past three years.

“I love it here. I don’t want it to change,” Stephan said.