Cydne Lloyd
As St. Olaf students moved into their dorms for the 2025-2026 academic year, they were met with a bright yellow paper detailing a number of changes to the campus dining experience. These changes were made in response to previous feedback from the student body.
Some changes to dining were introduced last year, including the Mediterranean bowl and sushi burrito options during lunch hours, which gave students more choices outside of Stav and the Cage. Additionally, dinner hours were extended to 8 p.m. in order to accommodate student athletes who needed more time to get to Stav in the evenings.
This year, the changes to dining expand upon those introduced last year. Now, Stav remains open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays with no closures in between meal times. Service stations are only open during the original dining hours, but multiple self-serve options are available all day. There were also monitors installed throughout Stav to display the daily menu options, making it easier for students to see.
Additionally, to address crowds and wait time throughout Buntrock Commons, the GET App was improved so students can order ahead from the Cage, and the sushi burrito was moved to the Crossroads. They also addressed dietary needs by ending the use of nuts in the preparation of entrees and side dishes in Stav.
These updates to campus dining were guided by feedback from two annual campus surveys: the Student Government Association (SGA) and a comprehensive review of the dining program by a national consultant.
“We believe that we need to be working toward continuous improvement,” said Vice President for Business and Finance Mike Berthelsen in an email interview with The Olaf Messenger. “With the majority of students living on campus for all four years, it is important that the dining program supports students’ experience on campus.”
Students are noticing the effect of the updated dining experience.
“I’ve loved having more choices, and I’ve noticed that the lines for Stav at lunch are not quite as long as they used to be in between classes,” said Hailey Frank ’26 in an email interview with The Olaf Messenger. “My work hours make it so that my schedule doesn’t line up with the usual class times, so the expanded hours in Stav have really been beneficial for me to be able to grab food after a shift.”
Student feedback will continue to inform any future changes to dining at St. Olaf.
“We have a Dining Advisory Committee who represents the range of student experiences that we look to for their input,” Berthelsen said.
Berthelsen and his team will also continue to meet with SGA and review the comments students leave on the feedback board outside of Stav.
“We want the dining experience to be a positive one for students: good tasting and nutritious food, welcoming options to dine with friends and classmates, variety in menu, and options for the times and locations that work in students’ schedules,” Berthelsen said.
More information regarding campus dining can be found on the St. Olaf website.