Wednesday in Blackburn marked the second meeting entitled "Put It On Blast" and the main topic of discussion among students was the cafeteria service.
"Put It On Blast" is a monthly event held by the Howard University Student Association to improve the everyday occurrences of Howard University.
The event is an open forum for members of the university community to voice concerns and ask questions regarding various departments and operations on campus. Wednesday's panel was made up of Sodexho employees.
The panel chosen to address students' concerns consisted of the general manager of Sodexho, Ellen Early, and a few of the company's staff members.
Everything was discussed in this meeting from the quality of the food in the different places to eat on campus, to the use of meal plans by students.
Students have been uneasy about the food service on campus because of the closing of the Café a month ago because of rodents but Early and her staff made an effort to make students dining experiences better by listening to their complaints. Many students felt as if their voices were heard and are hopeful that drastic changes will be made.
"I thought it was very productive," said Jordan T. Ford, junior political science major. "I also went to the last one and it went very well. I feel as if they're very good at answering all of their questions and very sincere in they're answers also."
Students called for a change in the menu, a variety of places to be able to eat, cleaner facilities, a change in the meal plans and other things.
"I really think a lot of students got their concerns out," said Shamora Merritt sophomore marketing major. "What we're waiting for now is just to see if the concerns will actually get looked at and if problems will be addressed."
Early made a commitment to the students that she would do as much as possible to make the food services better in Blackburn and everywhere else on campus where food is served.
Nick Owens, president of the School of Communications, brought up the high prices of the food on campus, which may put a hole in students' pockets but Early explained how the prices were inclusive of the different supplies used in the different cafeterias on campus.
The idea of being able to use dining dollars around the area was also brought up and Early committed to presenting the idea and all other requests from the students to the university in order to assess them.
"Today it was successful but we won't know the success of the event until we get feedback on what's happened," said Merritt.
