Julia Hargreaves
Ithaca College’s Terrace Dining Hall has seen some notable changes throughout the 2024-25 school year, with a remodel, and serious improvements in its offerings and events. However, while many of these upgrades do enhance student’s dining experience, Ithaca College Dining Services should spend their budget on addressing existing issues like broken equipment.
Positive changes at the Terrace Dining Hall include the new Terrace elevator, the seemingly popular chef showcase dinner nights, the one-day only smoothie bar and the iced tea machines are just some of the recent upgrades from this year. These efforts are greatly appreciated by students, and show dining service’s commitment to improving the student experience.
Despite these enhancements, there are ongoing issues that remain unaddressed. Some examples include removing the second soda machine, malfunctioning drink machines and the pancake maker that has been out of service for months. These complications have extended past the dining halls because South Hill Sweets, which opened earlier this academic year, has been forced to temporarily close because of a broken oven.
Dining services continue to spend money on new programs and equipment, and while beneficial, this approach may be unsustainable if core infrastructure remains neglected. Broken equipment not only affects convenience, but also impacts food safety and quality, making timely repairs even more critical. Investing in repairs and upkeep would ensure a consistently better dining experience, instead of temporary upgrades.
Ithaca College’s approved budgets for the recent fiscal years are publicly available, providing transparency in their financial planning. However, specific details regarding the dining services’ budget, particularly allocations for maintenance versus new projects, are not distinctly outlined. This lack of detailed public information makes it challenging to assess how funds are distributed within dining services, and whether current spending aligns with the immediate needs of students and staff.
The recent improvements at Terrace Dining Hall are a step in the right direction, but dining services must shift their focus to maintaining and repairing existing resources. Students and staff deserve functioning equipment and a reliable dining experience, not just some short-lived perks. If Ithaca College dining services truly want to step up their game, they need to invest in fixing what’s already broken. A sustainable dining program isn’t just about flashy new offerings — it’s about making sure the basics are reliable every single day.