Dining options must meet expectations

The explanations from Residential Programs and Services dining hall officials given in Thursday's IDS ("Staff shortage causes early closings of food courts," Sept. 21) for the early closing of some eateries in the Foster and Wright food courts seem to have at least one thing in common with the dining services on campus: They're entirely unsatisfactory. \nWhile one must have sympathy for managers charged with the daunting task of providing services that meet the erratic schedules of students, it should not change the fact that RPS, and not students, must be held responsible for the problems cited as leading to these cutbacks. When it comes to campus dining, students already contributed more than their fair share, from paying inflated prices (in advance, no less!) for food that would barely be acceptable on the open market, to forfeiting unused points at the end of the year. The last thing we should have to hear is complaints from RPS about being short of money and not being able to find workers. \nThe fact (pointed out by RPS, as attempted justification) that under the new limited hours sales have not decreased is proof enough that students are being forced to change their schedules in response to RPS' failure to meet expectations. It illustrates a point that seems to be lost on the RPS managers, who apparently don't understand they're serving to a captive audience that can't go elsewhere when they're dissatisfied with service. What does RPS expect the students to do, eat off campus in protest and lose the money anyway? \nPerhaps the truth is that RPS understands the captive nature of its audience all too well, and finds it easier to further exploit its monopoly than attempt to create real solutions to the problems. Apparently, it has everything to gain from it, and no business to lose.\nBen Hubbard\nSophomore