“It’s a combination of students graduating and not coming back, or finding other jobs,” Greg Crawford, director of residential dining, said.

Dining Services has hired more full-time employees than usual and sold approximately 250 more dining plans than previous years, causing more hungry students to come in, and not enough staff to keep up with the orders.

“We’re diligently trying to care for students and hire at all levels to maintain quality,” Jeff Yawn, executive director, said.

Stations start closing around 9 p.m., and food options move to one location at Traditions to allow student workers to leave earlier.

“We try asking ourselves how we can let students get home earlier and maintain service quality. The Dining Commons doesn’t close until 11 p.m., but with closing processes, they wouldn’t be leaving until midnight or 1 a.m., and we don’t want that,” Crawford said.

The dining facilities have the most traffic on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when most students have classes, which enhances the effects of the low staffing.

Yawn said, “We have a responsibility to be mindful of students and their schedules.”