As an avid foodie and Emerson athlete, dining options on campus are incredibly important to me. Me, along with multiple friends greatly appreciated griff’s taqueria, as it had relatively healthy options that were also very tasty. It also only costs one meal swipe, and meal swipes are regenerable throughout the year. When me and my roommate went to the lion’s den to order from the taqueria, we were disappointed to see the menu was now identical to that of the Max Grill, a place we had already decided we didn’t wish to eat at. 

It isn’t just me that’s against this decision. I recently received a message in a group chat I was in where someone else was in outrage about the change. Others in the group chat would chime in and we all came to the same agreement which is that this is purely a negative. It’s not even like this saved travel efforts for students, as the two locations are within mere feet of each-other. If the goal was truly that, P-Caf would be open to help Paramount residents, but this also remains closed. 

There’s also the health aspect of it, where the options at the Taqueria were significantly healthier than the overly fried food served at the Max, which is frustrating for me as a student athlete. Having to choose between the unhealthy food at the Max, or eating at the dining hall, which can get stale despite its rotating options (especially if you go for both lunch AND dinner).

Which brings me to my last point. Removing options and variety from student diets not only has negative consequences on physical health, but also makes for less enjoyment of the other meal options, as we’re forced onto the same meals across a larger semester unless we switch to board buck heavy plans, which have their own issues. This leads to many students indulging in even more off campus spending towards other meal options, to an already limited budget many of us are on 

We request the Emerson administration to reconsider this decision and restore Griff’s Taqueria to the Lion’s Den. Many students already began this semester upset with tuition raises, and to have our food options further restricted afterwards feels like a slap in the face towards its students, and is a pure net negative. 

If you’re like me (and many others) who miss having the option of griff’s taqueria, please sign this petition. We believe that the health and happiness of students should be a top priority, and many people whether in the acting or athletics side of emerson prioritize their diet.