Students ate for the last time this semester at Linden Dining Center Friday, after the decision was made to close it due to a budget deficit in the Department of Residence.

Jason Arnold, freshman in pre-architecture and Linden Dining Service employee, said since Linden is closing, residents of Devitt House in Linden came together to eat dinner together for the last few times.

Arnold said they decided to dress up in nice clothes and wear slippers while they ate dinner on Thursday, Oct. 2 in honor of their last meal together in Linden.

The girls dressed in nice dresses with slippers on their feet and the guys wore khakis or business suits, he said.

Although Devitt House tried to enjoy their second-to-last dinner at Linden Dining Center, Arnold is worried about finding a replacement job.

Arnold said he works at Linden Dining Center and has not been placed in a new dining facility, as promised by ISU Dining administrators.

“I must be one of the few that hasn’t been placed,” he said.

Not knowing about a replacement dining service job is distracting him from school, Arnold said.

“I don’t know what I’ll do for work; I’ll have to look for something,” he said.

Carrie Hawes, freshman in pre-landscape architecture and resident of Linden Hall, said, “I’m really disappointed about Linden closing. The food isn’t just great but also the personality and atmosphere [of Linden].”

Amber Von Arb, freshman in pre-architecture, said, “I think it’s really sad. It’s going to be an inconvenience [to eat elsewhere].”

Von Arb said she was just getting used to the Linden Dining Center atmosphere. She said she now plans to eat in either the Maple-Willow-Larch Dining Center or the Oak-Elm Dining Center.

Karen Keech, line coordinator for Linden Dining Center and Linden Dining Center employee for 10 years, said the closing of Linden Dining Center is a necessity.

“We’re sad but we know that the university had to make some adjustments to save the Department of Residence some money,” she said.

Keech said the closing of Linden Dining Center is temporary and the employees will be back in August.

Beginning Monday, former Linden Dining Center employees will begin working at their reassigned dining service positions.

Patrick Johnston, sophomore in construction engineering, said the closing of Linden Dining Center is sad because he won’t be able to see his co-workers on a regular basis.

Johnston said he enjoys the Linden Dining Center atmosphere because it’s always friendly and laid-back.

Kate Bruns, communication specialist for the Department of Residence, said Linden Dining Center is only closed temporarily and officials hope to reopen in the fall, given the budget recovers from the deficit.