For many students, the opening of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union was supposed to be an opportunity to have something else than the dining services food.

Although the University accepted the bid for one chain -Wendy’s – and is in the process of signing a contract with another, most of the food places at the Union are still under dining services.

Only very few food spaces were opened for bid, and local businesses were hoping to be able to bid for them. Instead, those spaces were bought by Wendy’s and the other national chain. It seems that the University just decided to ignore local businesses’ bids, as shown with Cosmo’s Coffeehouse and Domino’s which said there were denied the chance to properly bid for the spaces.

However, those businesses should almost have more of a right to those spaces because students are familiar with the food there and have shown their appreciation towards these businesses.

A petition asking for Cosmos to have a space in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union was signed by more than 60 faculty members. While the University said the Union was done according to the University’s community wishes, it seems to ignore those wishes when confronted with them.

Owners and managers of those two places have said that the University just refused to talk to them, not have returned their phone call and not informed them on the status of their bids. University Dining Service’s monopoly on food choices at the University has been an issue that never seems to go away. While other universities, such as the University of Findlay and University of Toledo allow students to use their identity cards at Domino’s pizza, BG students can only go to Shadows.

It is understandable that the University will concentrate on its financial interest as far as attributing space in the Union, and while The BG News does not know how much the national chains bid to have spaces in the Union, it could be assumed it would be much more than the locally-owned Cosmo’s could afford.

The University did have to do what was in its best financial interest but did this have to deny and disrespect other businesses? Cosmo’s and Domino’s said that they were not even given the chance to make an offer.

Bids are still opened on two spaces still unoccupied in the Union to rent, but they are for retail and not food operations.