I never thought that during my few years here at Iowa State that I would see Linden Dining Center close. My mom worked here more than 20 years ago; some of the cooks have worked here for 21 years. It caters, serves the great ISU athletes and in the morning it provides sack lunches to people going through the arches of Birch-Welch-Roberts who just don’t have time to sit down to a hot meal. But if students wanted to have a hot meal, Linden was the place to go. It has had a tradition of being cozy and friendly; I believe it’s the only self-serve dining service on campus. That means no tiny helpings and no waiting. Everyone eats their fill the first time through.

Everyone in Linden obviously is upset, but it’s not just them. Many people in the Richardson Court area will be upset to hear they will have to walk even farther in the winter to get their breakfast. Linden is loved and cherished by its nearby residents.

And what about the student staff? There will be a “job fair,” but only a few of them will be able to find new places to go. Great. So not only are we losing a great dining center, people are losing their jobs.

I don’t know what the powers that be are thinking, but I know I speak for hundreds of other sorrowful residents when I say that closing Linden Dining Service is yet another step the DOR has taken against students. They notified Knapp residents of its closing at the end of the semester only as they are moving in. They lock us all down in our dorms, add needless rules with “Fresh Start” and they wonder why enrollment is dropping.

Hopefully someone who participates in the decision-making for DOR will read this and figure out they aren’t making the best decisions when they think profits first, damage control second and put how we feel dead last.

Nate Swinton

Sophomore

History