In the aftermath of the horrifically burst steam pipe under the Gate, the University has decided to close the eatery indefinitely until the pipe can be repaired. While fairly understandable from a safety point of view (who really wants their paninis with a side of scalding hot steam?), it leaves Pembroke campus with a definite lack of dining options.
As all Brunonians know, and as many freshmen figure out the hard way, the V-Dub is closed on weekends. On weekdays, the Gate provided those on Pembroke campus a convenient alternative to the usually crowded lunch environment of the V-Dub. On weekends, the Gate was the only thing on this side of campus, and usually had a constant flow of students.
But as of Friday, this is no longer the case. On weekends, all those who are hungry will be forced to walk to the Ratty for meals, an option that many find leaves a bad taste in their mouths. Now, while it is obviously physically possible for students on Pembroke campus to get themselves to the Ratty, it's gosh darn inconvenient.
This lack of choice is even worse for those of us who may want dinner later than 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, in which case the only options on campus are the Ivy Room and Jo's. Friday nights? We're left with just Jo's, a nice, scenic 15-minute walk through the frozen tundra that is this current winter.
Friday's Morning Mail included a brief statement regarding the Gate's closing, and attempted to reassure us by claiming, "All other dining facilities remain open and ready to serve you." While ostensibly true, in reality, this statement is false. All dining facilities are not open to us: the V-Dub is still closed on weekends.
True, this is an issue that students have seemingly griped about for ages. But in an interesting turn of events, Brown Dining Services and the Undergraduate Council of Students actually came to an agreement over something, providing a terrible precedent. While the extension of V-Dub breakfast was a long time coming, once they finally let a "yes" out into the world, all crotchety columnists will be free to make outlandish demands for convenient dining options.
In the aftermath of the Gate disaster, I'm feeling fairly stranded by the administration. In this time of crisis, it seems that the needs of the Main Campus population are held more dear than those of the estranged Pembrokers.
My fellow members of the New Pembroke Fourth Estate have compiled a list of "Rights of Brunonians," and right at the top of the list is opening the V-Dub on weekends until this calamity passes us by. If this demand isn't met, I've heard rumors of methodically forcing every Main Campus resident to stand firmly on the Pembroke Seal, until the V-Dub unbars its doors and releases the convenience held prisoner inside.
There must be a way to temporarily open the V-Dub on weekends. There are many students who are out of work at the Gate while it's closed. I'm sure they'll be happy to work at the V-Dub until the Gate reopens. Even if part of the union contract stipulates that non-student workers have priority at the V-Dub, then with the money saved on student salaries from the now-closed Gate, BDS can pay those workers to staff the V-Dub.
Chefs are unnecessary, as the Ratty makes more than enough food that sits in warming ovens until it is served. Pop a few of those trays into one of those snazzy Brown Dining Services vans constantly cruising around campus and bring them up to sit in the V-Dub warming ovens.
Students will be so happy that the V-Dub is open that they won't complain about the lack of variety. (Those that will were probably the sort to walk all the way to Jo's in the first place.) Far from being a wasted gesture, the V-Dub would be swarmed by hungry students who don't have the time to break their studies to walk to Main Campus for a sandwich.
So in an effort to prevent needless pregnancy and dropouts at the hands of the Pembroke seal, I make a humble plea for the temporary opening of the V-Dub until the steam pipes can be repaired underneath the Gate. It won't be a permanent addition to the dining calendar, unless, of course, BDS decides it wants to be extra generous (hint, hint). Think of it as a trial run, to see what the demand would be like. It's a commonsense solution to a devastating problem that would serve the dual purpose of being the right thing to do and making students happy. Who can say no to that?
Mike Johnson '11 can be reached at michael_johnson [at] brown.edu.
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