Students hungry for more choices

Though the new Round Rock Campus is up and running, there is a room in building 2000 attached to the student lounge that is empty, locked and decidedly unfinished. Originally, this room was designed to house two food vendors, making Round Rock the only campus with more than one food vendor, and the only campus equipped to cook food on a grill.

"Because ACC doesn't have on campus dorms, potential investors don't feel there is enough student traffic to invest the capitol into a new location. At UT you have students on campus sleeping, studying, and eating from 8:00 am until midnight every day," said Round Rock Campus project manager Paul Mason.

Instead of being the location with the most options for on-campus dining, Round Rock has a small cart run by Simon's Cafe. The cart is selling a very reduced version of the menu Simon's offers on other campuses, and is running fewer hours than other locations, closing at 2:15 every day but Friday, when it closes at 1:30.

"I'm kind of angry because some people go here and are hungry. On top of that, some can't leave to go get food somewhere else," said Round Rock student Collin Grider.

Mason attributes the lack of interest from outside food vendors to the faltering economy, and is hopeful that now that the campus is open and the economy is starting to get better, new vendors will take an interest in the location.

"In the past, Austin Community College has always done business with Simon's Cafe. We wanted to do something different, something better," said Mason.

Right now, Simon's Cafe does have a contract with the school to be at the campus for two years, and they will be expanding from the cart they have set up now.

"It would be a semi-permanent setup. We have to be mindful of the cost of setting something up that might have to be torn out and redone later," said Mason.

Simon's Cafe is definitely going to be a presence in Round Rock for two years, after that their contract is in question.

"If given the opportunity to, of course we would like to stay at the Round Rock campus," said Simon's Cafe President Jae Park.

According to Mason, the food services area could hold a Simon's Cafe, and another vendor, or two new vendors entirely.

"I think they should have one (a Simon's Café); I mean it's convenient for the people that don't bring their lunches. On top of that, the bookstore, where food is available, is expensive, said Round Rock Student Beatriz Belman.

Two vendors might offer more options to the students, but it could pose a problem for potential vendors who don't want to share the space as well as for Simon's which has not had to compete directly with another restaurant on campus.

"Having two vendors, with the current student traffic, it would make it hard to survive to be honest," said Park.

Hungry students can expect a few more options from Simon's starting in the spring semester, and in the long run, there plans for two vendors for students to choose from on campus.

"We were hoping we could find more options," said Mason. "Hopefully in a year or two, when the economy improves, we can find a better solution."