Two long lines extend from the doors of the Union Drive Community Center dining hall on the second floor, nearly reaching the floor below.

Of the mass of more than 150 people, many of those in line said long lines are a daily occurrence.

“It’s like this every day around this time,” one person in line said to another.

“People get out of class at 10 minutes ’til noon, and they have to walk here,” said Ross Kelderman, Union Drive Association President. “It really gets busy around [12:10].”

According to Ryan Osterberger, food services manager at UDCC, on an average day in fall 2004, 900 people ate breakfast at UDCC, 2,450 people ate lunch and 2,475 ate dinner. These numbers place the UDCC about one-third over its designated capacity, said Jon Lewis, director of ISU Dining.

“The lines at UDCC are insane,” said Rick Rainy, junior in aerospace engineering who lives in Eaton Hall. “The food stations get horrible. Between the stations you have seating, and if you try to sit down somewhere, you’re sitting in the middle of a line. It makes it really difficult to get from place to place.”

Drew Larson, president of the Inter-Residence Hall Association, agreed that long lines are a problem.

“Nobody likes long lines. Though I do think the lines indicate something very positive, that the UDCC is a very good dining option,” Larson said.

The Department of Residence is aware of the rising popularity of the UDCC.

No plans have been discussed by the department to alleviate the rush, however.

“I don’t think we have a plan at this point, but we’re aware of the problem,” said Lewis.

“It’s just way too popular. I think there’ll be a slight change on campus next year with Wallace-Wilson closing, since many eat there during the day.”

More buildings are expected to be closed in the future in addition to Wallace-Wilson, Larson said, and more closures could help make the dining center’s lines shorter, as there would be fewer people living in the dorms overall to use the UDCC.

“[Leaving Wallace and Wilson open] has contributed to the overcapacity. I think that’s an issue that we should handle in the long term,” Larson said.

Beyond the lines, students are less satisfied with the seating at the UDCC, according to an annual survey conducted in fall 2004 by the National Association of Colleges and University Food Services.

“In our survey, students actually downgraded the UDCC because of seating problems,” Lewis said.

This was the first year Iowa State has participated in the survey, he said.

The survey provides a benchmark for food-service programs around the nation.

On a five-point scale, students gave the UDCC a rating of 3.11 on availability of seating, which is nearly 1 point lower than the national average.

“12 to 12:30 is crunch time,” Lewis said.

“Our hope is that students will be able to change their schedule to avoid the rush.”

The department predicts the problem could grow, but funding to build a facility to alleviate the pressure on the UDCC is scarce.

A plan to build a new facility in the Richardson Court Association area was discussed as a part of the Master Plan — which was motivated by Randy Alexander, former director of the Department of Residence — but it is no longer being considered.

“If a donor were to step forward with $40 million right now, we’d fix this problem,” Lewis said.

“Until then, we don’t have an answer.”