The University of Northern Colorado's Dining Services decided to close the Tobey-Kendel Dining Hall for the remainder of the year without consulting the student body starting Monday, October 4th.

Dining Services' compensation for this closure are as stated:

• Students with a Meal Plan (5/10/14/19 per week) can use up to 5 at the University Center's Einstein Bros Bagels or Subway.
• Students living on Central Campus can pre-order only weekend meals by Wednesday and pick them up on Friday (More information not fully prepared)

The Student Body and Residents of UNCO were not consulted about this closure and its possible effects on their physical, financial, and mental health. The closure and its offered compensations were not publicly announced until Wednesday, September 29th.

Regardless of Dining Services' issues of maintaining the Tobey-Kendel Dining Hall, students should be:

1. Able to have sustainable and consistent nearby meal options on campus for all students including students with a range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability, or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.
2. Consulted about changes in financial purchases and changes that can affect physical, financial, and mental health situations (Meal Plans, Classes, etc.).
3. Able to trust the power of the Department of Housing and Residential Education to not close university facilities mid-semester that can affect student physical, financial, and mental health needs.

Students who have purchased meal plans for the academic year are entitled to the number of meals purchased (5/10/14/19). Although students have access to Holmes Dining Hall, not every student can easily be accommodated to that location due to class commitments, work commitments, club commitments, etc. The removal of the Tobey-Kendel Dining Hall affects all residents in the Mesa Neighborhood who do not have the resources to travel to Holmes Dining Hall 3 times a day. Compensation with meal swipes at the University Center's Einstein Bros Bagels and Subway are limited to only 5 meals per week regardless of meal plans. This affects the financial purchase of students with 10, 14, and 19 meals per week. Regardless of the effect on financial changes, students with disabilities will constantly be affected by this change as accommodation is now very limited. There is the compensation of pre-ordering weekend meals only, but this option is bound by time commitments once again.

Students and Residents of the University of Northern Colorado need to be prioritized in present and future decision-making because the University of Northern Colorado is nothing without its Bears.