THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023
MARYVILLE, MISSOURI
NWMISSOURINEWS.COM
VOL. 111, NO. 26
@THEMISSOURIAN
Dining hall limitations cause upset
HIGHLIGHTING
HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504
Throughout the past couple of weeks, the Bearcat Commons dining hall has gotten smaller and is offering less options. This has caused backlash from the student body, seen on most social media platforms. Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs: Residential and Auxiliary Services Rose Viau said the decrease is caused by Aramark corporation and not Northwest’s decision. “Students are upset, I completely understand, I loved a lot of things that we had,” Viau said. “The barbecue station was amazing, they just can’t do it anymore.” Budget is the biggest factor in the downsizing of the Bearcat Commons. Aramark cannot provide these stations and anything extra because there is not enough in its budget to do so. One of the stations that was closed was Mongolian. Viau said it was not supposed to close, and she looked at the contract and made sure that Mongolian came back. This station returned March 27 and will stay because it is required in the Aramark contract. The other stations, such as the barbecue station, closed because they were extra and not required in the contract. “Our on ground team is trying to do the best that they can do, and it really bothers them,” Viau said. “... They want students to love what they eat, be able to have somewhere great to eat, and it’s really hard for them.” The cut in food has also cut jobs. Part-time employees are being let go because of the decrease in stations and budget. This is mostly affecting student employees, who make up a lot of the part-time employees.
SEE DINING HALL | A4
SIDDHARTH CHAUDHARY PHOTOGRAPHER
Obioma Nwuba and Jennifer Aronu presented their ideas at the African Student Organization meeting for “Taste of Africa” March 23. The celebration showcases their culture through dance, fashion, food and music.
African Student Organization hosts event to celebrate culture BECKY DAVENPORT Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian
N
orthwest’s African Student Organization will be having a showcase and celebration called “Taste of Africa” at 6 p.m. March 30 in the J.W. Jones Student Union. “Taste of Africa” is an annual student-led event that brings African culture to Northwest. Its goal is to share food, music, fashion and awareness to Northwest so students can experience African culture. ASO is a student organization that makes international students feel more at home. Its goal is to promote unity and solidarity among students of African descent while upholding a unique identity and solidarity among student organizations. The planning of the annual “Taste of Africa” started at the end of Christmas break. Oluwadamilola (Dami) Popoola, vice president
“
of ASO, spoke about the upcoming event. “Other organizations that kind of help out are the inclusion committee, the (Student) Senate, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and most of the stuff you will see at the events by ourselves,” Popoola said. Tickets are $10 and can be bought in advance by March 27. They were sold by contacting the Office of Diversity and Inclusion located in the Student Engagement Center on the second floor of the Student Union. Tickets will be available at the door of the event and students can pay with cash, Cash App or Venmo. Students may bring guests with no limit to how many may be brought. Guests do not have to pay an additional cost for a ticket and 150-200 tickets are expected to be sold.
SEE CULTURE | A4
Because we always want to get together, express our culture and bring something to Northwest just so everyone on campus can feel that African culture.”
-OLUWADAMILOLA POPOOLA VICE PRESIDENT OF ASO
Northwest to look at staff, faculty pay HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504
Earlier in the year, Northwest announced there would be a compensation study performed, and faculty and staff would be getting a one-time retention payment. Assistant Vice President of Human Resources Krista Barcus said the total compensation study will analyze the current pay and benefit practices. “We just want to make sure by using a third-party vendor that we go out and make sure that by doing this analysis with other institutions within the region, that we’re being competitive, so that we can recruit and retain employees,” Barcus said. The process that went into performing this study had several steps. A team was formed of Northwest faculty and staff to be on the request for proposal committee to choose the company to perform the compensation study. After the third-party vendor was chosen, data, including job descriptions, organizational structure and a list of positions at Northwest were sent to the vendor.
SEE RETENTION | A4
Northwest Missouri’s oldest and largest independently-owned and operated bank. Maryville 660-562-3232 AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1914.
Mound City 660-442-3131
Platte City 816-597-5300
Savannah 816-324-3158
Smithville 816-873-2929
St. Joseph 816-364-5678
Member FDIC
PLEASE
RECYCLE