After two years of renovations, the Clayton University Center reopened its doors to the Lehigh community on Jan. 20.
The UC serves as an on-campus hub for the community, providing a range of dining options and housing various campus organizations and offices.
Lehigh community members have shared their reactions to the UC remodel with The Brown and White, some impressed by the design but others disappointed by changes in dining offerings.
Several offices located in the UC were temporarily moved to Christmas-Saucon Hall during renovations. One of which was the Center for Gender Equity.
Azalea Chacón, coordinator of the center, said the location within UC is more accessible for students to visit the center and use its resources.
The Center for Gender Equity’s office in Christmas-Saucon was on the third floor with no elevator. Chacón said this occasionally required the team to hold meetings outside of their office in other accessible spaces.
However, she said this challenge is no longer present in the UC, as there is an elevator to the office on the third floor.
Beyond improved accessibility, Chacón said the office’s new location, which is adjacent to the Pride Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, is more convenient.
“(The relocation) is already fostering a lot more collaboration, and we’re happy to have that,” she said.
Outside of the new office spaces, the UC offers six new retail dining options.
The building’s new center for to-go meals, Clutch and Go, is operated through Grubhub, accepting dining dollars or credit cards.
Since the UC reopened to the Lehigh community, the to-go meals and drink options at Hawk’s Nest, another dining location on campus, were removed and limited to retail options only.
Tiffany Lei, ‘28, said she preferred the to-go options at Hawk’s Nest, because meal swipes were accepted there unlike the Clutch and Go.
“I usually run out of dining dollars first, so I like to be able to use my meal swipes,” she said.
Lei also said she’s concerned her meal plan won’t last through this semester, as many of the food options in the UC cost more than just one meal swipe, which is worth $7.
Erin Foertsch, marketing manager for Lehigh Dining, said it’s always a possibility students may run out of meal swipes and dining dollars, but those issues haven’t arisen so far this spring since they tend to occur toward the end of a semester.
Justin Onello, ‘27, said he thinks the food prices of the retail dining options at the UC don’t properly reflect the quality of food being served.
“Some of the options, especially at the new places, can feel a bit overpriced for what you’re getting,” Onello said.
According to the menu of South Mountain Grill and Deli — a new retail dining option at the UC — the majority of its options range from $8.99 to $10.99. Sides are an additional charge, with most costing $3.99.
Asa’s Place, another new addition offering all-day breakfast, charges $10.99 for a breakfast plate and $8.99 for an omelette, with meat add-ons costing an extra dollar. Most sides also cost an additional $3.99, according to the store’s menu.
Each of these two dining options offer one meal deal that is equivalent to one meal swipe. This said, both menus state they are subject to change.
Despite students’ concerns about pricing, Foertsch said prices of food at Lehigh Dining spaces have remained the same since last semester.
She said food prices at Lehigh are adjusted annually, and they may rise due to external issues, such as inflation, which has especially increased since the COVID pandemic.
“Nationally, the cost of food has been affected by inflation, increased transportation costs and supply chain disruptions, which impacts the prices of ingredients and products,” Foertsch said. “Additionally, the cost of labor has risen nationally, more specifically in food services, which leads to higher operating costs.”
Onello said he plans to make use of the various dining options at the UC despite his thoughts on the price. Since Rathbone Dining Hall, the only dining hall on campus besides Brodhead, is the only other option for all-day breakfast, he said he will likely frequent Asa’s Place.
Rathbone is located further from the majority of academic buildings near the first-year dormitories. The UC, however, is located in the center of the Asa Packer Campus.
Laura Greenberg, ‘28, said she will likely frequent the UC due to its convenient location near other buildings she visits throughout the day.
“I rarely would go to Rathbone today, just because it’s a pain to walk to since my classes during the day are closer to the UC,” Greenberg said.
Onello said he sees himself integrating the UC into his daily schedule as one of his primary dining and study places, as it’s conveniently located next to his dorm.
He also said he’s excited to continue to try the new food options available at the UC, as well as continue to explore the new building as it further becomes a part of his daily schedule.
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