Alejandro Rivera – Special to the Southern News
Ignacio Navarro, junior business major who plays on the soccer team, said there is one thing that is not a surprise about the Michael J. Adanti Student Center: The beverage machines always have soda but no soft drinks.
Navarro said that throughout the week, the beverage machines at the student center are constantly being occupied which leads to a shortage in soft drinks like PowerAde and HiC.
“I understand that the student center gets busy,” Navarro said, “but I never see the workers immediately responding to the people’s demand for soft drinks.
Gallup’s annual consumption habits poll said that 52 percent of Americans do not drink soda and 48 percent do.
“Based on the fact that juice and water are always running out on the machines this semester,” Navarro said, “you can conclude that most SCSU students do not like soda.”
Shannon O’Malley, sophomore exercise science major with a minor in health, said she is a frequent soda drinker.
“I always find something to drink in the beverage machines at the student center,” said O’Malley. “I like Fanta, Powerade, flavored water. I barely see workers on the machines throughout the day, so without having soft drinks available a lot of the time, I usually go for soda. I imagine it being uncomfortable for the people who do not like soda or want to eat healthier.”
“Since I began studying Health here at SCSU,” O’Malley said, “I learned that a meal does not only consist of what I eat. It also includes what you drink. What people drink is a huge part of everyone’s diet. Even at Connecticut Hall, a lot of the time the juice and soft drinks are not available.”
“When I use a swipe for a meal,” Navarro said, “most of time I cannot get a drink with it because only soda is available. Sometimes I do drink soda just so I can satisfy
my thirst but as a student-athlete, I need my electrolytes. With no PowerAde ever available it takes a toll on my body and I do not feel hydrated enough.”
Navarro also said that he once asked one of the managers at the student center food court to tell a worker to refill the machines. The manager told him that another worker will be right on it, but it took a while, so he left.
Juan Dominguez, Chartwells resident district manager, said that he is aware of the complaints that students are making about beverages.
“I want to make something clear,” Dominguez said, “every drink inside the two red machines at the student center are considered soda. They are all carbonated, some less than others.”
“Over the last few weeks,” Dominguez said,” we were experiencing difficulties with the computer inside the machines. The machines have been filled but the computer was not reading the drink selection that was chosen, therefore, it showed up as if it were empty. It was not the cartridge it was the reader.”
Dominguez said Chartwells has been able to solve this problem by working with Coca-Cola and repairing the machines. He is glad that students have been able to voice their complaints because Chartwells is always willing to assist students. He also said that there is a person assigned to check on the beverage machines and the managers on duty are there to check up on them too.
Dominguez said he recommends that any further complaints be reported immediately to Chartwells because having things done the wrong way is unacceptable in this company.
Photo Credit: Staff Photo
