Bradley shut down Williams Dining Hall and Centre Court nearly a month ago in preparation for the renovations to be completed in the fall of 2025. Since then, a large influx of students have been attending Geisert Dining Hall and the student center for their meals.
In a rare effort of communication by the administration, students were told via email that the student center would offer the options from Centre Court, so students would not lose variety or convenience.
The only additional communication during this transition has been through the Bradley Dining Instagram. For those who are unaware of its existence, it appears as if nothing has changed at the student center. Additional staff have been stationed at Geisert Dining Hall to offset the increase in student attendance, but the student center’s staffing remains unaffected.
While students’ meals have seen some improvement, the living situation for students in Williams Hall has only worsened.
Although students were alerted and prepared for the west entrance’s closure, the construction of the ramp on the east side of the building was a surprise. Not only are Williams residents inconvenienced by having to leave for meals, but their routines are also further disrupted by the added construction.
Access to the building via the ramp for students or faculty that may need it is important; however, there is currently no way for them to get into the building with the ramp on the east side being blocked, making Williams no longer ADA accessible.
The ramp has also been under construction nearly as long as the west entrance has been closed.
Even though any improvements made to Williams are welcomed, there should have been more planning before the closures and consideration of how students would be affected.