Spring Break
Stein to remain open contrary to rumor among student employees
by Miranda Neubauer
Senior Writer
News | 11/25/08
Posted online at 4:23 AM EST on 11/25/08
Reichlin-Melnick said he thinks The Stein always loses money but noted that in his view this semester there had been particularly heavy losses due to the suspension of the Stein's lunch hours and changes to the menu, which he described as an "almost deliberate attempt to run the place into the ground."
He said The Stein is reliant on subsidies from the University. "At this point it makes sense monetarily [to close The Stein] but it sucks for the 20 us who are out of a job," he said, adding that "this has been the worst semester for business since I've worked there."
Reichlin-Melnick dismissed comments by Newmark earlier this semester that the change in The Stein would help increase "speed of service" and had input from student workers.
He said he thinks the University should inform students before it takes cost-cutting measures.
"Now we sit around and do nothing because there's no business." Reichlin-Melnick said, adding that cutting the most popular dishes from the menu had been intended as a cost-cutting measure, but that the items that cost more to produce sold much better and probably made more profit.
"They pretend to get student input from the menu, [but] they've never taken into account what's popular; they just go and make their own decisions," he said.
The Stein is "still a fun and great place to work," Rubin said, and added that she thought the administration valued student decisions and input. "I'm a little bit disappointed that I had to hear this rumor as a rumor, that I didn't hear it from the administration themselves, but I understand that it's still a difficult process."
Langdon-Embry also pointed out the financial challenges. "I work Friday nights; last semester I would have maybe 10 tables, and this year I'll have like two or three," the student said.
Reichlin-Melnick said Sunday he was glad The Stein was still open so that he still had his job, but that he felt the situation had still been handled poorly. "I still think it's insulting of them to talk about this without ever consulting student employees."
He said The Stein is reliant on subsidies from the University. "At this point it makes sense monetarily [to close The Stein] but it sucks for the 20 us who are out of a job," he said, adding that "this has been the worst semester for business since I've worked there."
Reichlin-Melnick dismissed comments by Newmark earlier this semester that the change in The Stein would help increase "speed of service" and had input from student workers.
He said he thinks the University should inform students before it takes cost-cutting measures.
"Now we sit around and do nothing because there's no business." Reichlin-Melnick said, adding that cutting the most popular dishes from the menu had been intended as a cost-cutting measure, but that the items that cost more to produce sold much better and probably made more profit.
"They pretend to get student input from the menu, [but] they've never taken into account what's popular; they just go and make their own decisions," he said.
The Stein is "still a fun and great place to work," Rubin said, and added that she thought the administration valued student decisions and input. "I'm a little bit disappointed that I had to hear this rumor as a rumor, that I didn't hear it from the administration themselves, but I understand that it's still a difficult process."
Langdon-Embry also pointed out the financial challenges. "I work Friday nights; last semester I would have maybe 10 tables, and this year I'll have like two or three," the student said.
Reichlin-Melnick said Sunday he was glad The Stein was still open so that he still had his job, but that he felt the situation had still been handled poorly. "I still think it's insulting of them to talk about this without ever consulting student employees."
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