For students unsatisfied with the current Cub Cash blackout time, change has come. ARAMARK, the food services provider on campus, has removed the blackout time on Fridays.

A blackout period exists from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., a time during which students cannot use their Cub Cash in the Student Union. This blackout period helps to ease the flow of traffic in the Student Union during lunch time. However, several students have complained that these same rules should not apply on Fridays.

“Change is always good,” said Branden Summers, a sophomore business major and Student Government Association (SGA) Senator. “It is better for the on campus students as it now allows them to dine in the Union during lunch time instead of having to eat in  Cayman.”

Summers took the initiative to serve as the spokesperson for students’ complaints as well as his own.

“As a senator in SGA, many students approach me on campus with comments or concerns dealing with on-campus dining,” said Summers. “I am always looking for ways to improve the campus and meet the needs of the students.”

By contacting Robin Parker Rodrigue, director of marketing and strategic initiatives for Auxiliary Services, and Martin Balisteri, food service director, Summers succeeded in affecting change for the students.

“It makes sense because no one’s really here on Fridays who aren’t already living on campus,” said Zachary Cuny, a freshman majoring in biology. “I assumed they had already done that on Fridays.”

Both on campus and commuter students agree that the new change makes sense.

“The school will get more money and they won’t have to deal with all the budget cuts,” said Garrett Baker, a sophomore majoring in structural engineering. “There are not really a whole lot of people here on Fridays so what’s the point of having the blackout.”

For several of the students this change will have no effect.

“I guess it’s good for the students who have Friday classes, but the majority of us don’t, so it wouldn’t apply,” said Cady Harris, a junior majoring in communications science and disorders. “I usually go home or have work on Fridays so I’m not here and it doesn’t really effect me.”

Travis Myles, general manager of Taco Bell, thinks that there should be no blackout times during the week at all.

“I think we should lift it Monday through Thursday as well,” said Myles. “It would help the sales in the Lion’s Den as well as in the Cayman and would benefit students on campus.”

According to Summers, there will be no blackout times on Cub Cash once the new union is built.

For more information regarding campus dining contact Rodrigue at [email protected] or 985-549-2094.