With everyone settled into their first semester at Point Park, both students and staff have voiced their opinions on the Lawrence Dining Hall. 

An employee of the university, who wished to remain anonymous, for concerns of losing their job, has seen and described the condition of the kitchen first-hand. 

“I would not eat anything that comes out of there, even the machines,” they stated. “There’s roaches in there, they leave food on the floor like onions, potatoes…things like that.” 

It is not up to the faculty to clean the kitchen, It is the responsibility of CulinArt. Their director, Krissy Weiss, did not respond to a request for comment.

In contrast to the employee’s comments, according to the Allegheny Health Department, the Dining Hall’s last inspection was November 2023, which confirms it is up to date.  

A first-year student, Lawrence Cresswell, said they had mixed feelings.

“I like the Dining Hall because it has a much wider variety of foods, but there are some days where the food is off and isn’t as good,” Cresswell said. Although there is food on the table, it is undeniable there is a need for improvement

Nicholas Ocampo, a first-year student, said he is more satisfied with the hall than unsatisfied. 

“In terms of service, it’s pretty good. For me, it’s not the menu, but sometimes you can tell when something is left out,” Ocampo said. The desserts from breakfast will sit out until dinner if uneaten.  

“The soda was flat. I got a plate of cucumbers and that was it,” first-year Sydney Singer said. “The dishes are dirty. My friend found a sticker still on her vegetables. Half of the time there are no forks. There’s pasta, pizza, and fries all the time. If it is healthy, it is some funky meat and funky sauce, all this extra nonsense.”  

Singer went on to say that, yes, there are a variety of selections, but they don’t appeal to everyone. There are picky eaters who don’t want the extra sauces or spices on their food. Another point she made concerned the unlabeled food. Food items such as desserts are not labeled, leaving people with allergies confused about whether they can safely consume it.  

Singer also voiced concerns on behalf of other COPA members about the challenges they face in managing the Dining Hall hours. 

“Being a COPA member, I go from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. without any break, and I don’t eat a thing, I shouldn’t have to pack food when I have a meal plan,” she said.