Vending machines are now the only food option at this Long Island college. Critics blame "incompetency" from administrators.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Nassau Community College campus in Uniondale is suddenly without any cafeteria, cafe or snack bar, leaving vending machines as the only option for 12,000 students.
A college email informed students all dining services, including the campus Starbucks, were closed by the vendor. Critics say college administrators should have been better prepared.
"It's definitely costing a lot more considering the fact that DoorDashing food is kind of like $20," student Devin Sierra said.
"We are a commuter school. We don't have dorms we can just go back to and make food," student Annick Boyd said.
"We got an email the vendor just left" student Alex Marsden said.
"The company was not able to make ends meet, so to speak. They wanted to enter into a new agreement with us that would have required us to pick up about $300,000 a year," Nassau Community College Vice President Jerry Kornbluth said.
The college vice president say they're working on bringing in food trucks and adding sandwiches to vending machines. A campus food pantry and gift cards are available.
"It's really unconscionable," faculty union president Faren Siminoff said.
Siminoff blames "lack of planning, incompetency and, honestly, a disregard for our students, for their safety, for their health."
"It creates a food desert on this campus," she added.
She says plans should have been made months ago when the vendor, Compass Group, indicated it was not profitable.
"They made no plans," Siminoff said.
"I can say one thing, nobody on this campus will go hungry," Kornbluth said.
But they will be paying more, driving off-campus for pricier options and losing coveted parking in the process.
"The parking spots and everything, I have to lose that and I have to spend my money," one student said.
Administrators say the vendors are still moving out of eateries. By next week, the spaces will reopen for students to at least microwave their own meals. The school hopes to have a new vendor in place by the fall.
