The Lion's Pause has served as a social hub for generations of St. Olaf students. Having been student-run since 1968, the Pause has been a space of, for and by students. The Pause represents exactly the values which liberal arts institutions like St. Olaf College stand for, serving as an opportunity for students to participate actively in creating such a space.

St. Olaf College has slashed the budget available to keep the Pause running by folding Concert Board into the Pause as an organization. Although Concert Board has sought to help support the Pause, this change has left the student management with their hands tied. When this inevitably took a toll on efficiency, the Finance Office turned to Bon Appetit and asked the dining company to draw up plans for running the Pause, instead of going to the student team in the Pause to address their concerns. 

At the first town hall, we showed the College that their vision for improving the dining experience at St Olaf, including their plan to take the Pause away from students, is not a realistic solution given the current issues with food service as provided by Bon Appetit, nor one that prioritizes student interests.

As we prepare for the second town hall on March 6th at 5pm, we as students and alumni must keep the pressure up and make clear that we do not support its plan to continue raising prices and taking agency away from students. We are working to collect testimonials from students, alumni, and parents to include in a formal student presentation to administration. Please consider leaving comments when you sign about why shutting down the student-run business in the Pause is wrong, including (if you are comfortable doing so) who you are. You may also send your concerns directly to Mike Berthelson, CFO of the College, at mikeb@stolaf.edu.