Friday, November 20, 2009
BIG Changes Coming to the Prospector Building, Mail Services, Chick-fil-A, Copy Center
Mail Services Will be MOVING on December 17
In less than a month, Mail Services will temporarily move from the lower level of the Prospector Building to the 2nd level of Cone Center. We do not expect any interruption in service.
On Thursday, December 17, window operation will be available as usual in the Prospector building, from 8AM until 4:30PM. On Friday, December 18, the mail services window will open in the former ID Office of Cone Center with identical hours. Every service that’s been offered in the current mail services area will be offered when we move to Cone Center, including pick-up of student packages sent through USPS.
This upheaval is necessary due to installation of sprinkler systems and renovation of the Prospector Building. When renovations are complete (hopefully by the beginning of academic year 2010-11) Mail Services will move back to the Prospector. But it sure won’t look the same! The entire Prospector building will undergo huge changes.
The Future of the Prospector Building
Before: an architectural mullet - concrete bunker in the front, contemporary-ish in the back
After: A unified brick building with lots of glass, food, modern services and lounge areas
When renovations to the South end of the Prospector building are complete, The Copy Center (now on the 2nd floor of Atkins Library) will move to the lower level (where textbooks used to be) and Mail Services will move again, from Cone Center back to the lower level of Prospector.
Here’s what the new Copy Center will look like:
And here’s what Mail Services will look like:
All renderings are courtesy of Tobin Dudley Starr Architecture and Design
But Wait, There’s More: New Chick-fil-A!
On the level above Mail Services and the new Copy Center (where apparel and tradebooks were in the old bookstore) will be a big new, Chick-fil-A, featuring a full menu (including breakfast) and seating for around 200. The patio area will get a facelift, too. In addition, there will be another “good food fast concept” that we’re very excited about. Chef Roger assures us that the fare will be indulgent, fun and will quickly become a favorite stop on campus.
Here’s a sneak peek:
The faculty/staff dining room will also get a make-over. Before it’s all done, even the North end of Prospector (where Salsarita’s, Mamma Leone’s, Mondo Subs and Coyote Jacks are) may get a little sprucing up, too.
Barnes & Noble at UNC Charlotte Bookstore Updates
New apparel available for $10 or less!
Stake Your Claim T-shirts. $9.95
NinerNation T-shirts, $9.95
Due to arrive Monday 11/23, commemorative T-shirts for the upcoming Blackout Game on December 2 against East Carolina. only $9.99
And just in time for your holiday gift list:
Jansport zip-up hoodies in pink with green, and white with pink, $29.95
Three different styles of Nike zip-up hoodies, $49.95 (don’t forget, all hoodies in the store are 25% off through 11/25!)
Nike Niner Nation shirts, $29.95
And any day now, the bookstore expects Stake Your Claim polo shirts for men and women.
Great merchandise is arriving every day, so come in often and see what’s new.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Campus Food Service Inspections Average 100.02
Since the beginning of the academic year, all but one of UNC Charlotte’s 21 food service facilities have been inspected by the Mecklenburg County Health Department inspector. As of the last inspection, health department scores of all campus dining areas now average 100.02.*
Dining Services received 14 scores above 100 including two perfect 102 scores at Einstein Brothers Bagels and Mamma Leone’s in the Student Union. Having ServSafe certified staff persons in all of our permitted facilities makes it possible to achieve two extra points during an inspection.
Consistently high-scoring inspections are possible only when managers, chefs and associates share a commitment to food safety. Chartwells, UNC Charlotte’s contracted food service partner, has that commitment; the numbers are proving it.
Here are the most recent health department scores for main dining venues: Ritazza Atkins Library 99; Ritazza Fretwell Bldg. 101.5; Chick-fil-a 101; Main Street Market 98.5; Crossroads Outtakes 100.5; Student Union Outtakes 99.5; Prospector 97; Wendy’s 100; Crown Commons 95; Einstein Brothers Bagels 102; Mamma Leone’s Student Union 102.
* Average score calculation also includes inspection scores from catering kitchens, commissary and concession areas, with the exception of The Hayes Baseball Stadium. It has not been inspected because it has not been open.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
UNC Charlotte Continues to Lower Text Book Prices
Textbook Prices – Auxiliary Services is part of the solution
Barnes & Noble at UNC Charlotte has one of the lowest margins in the nation on new textbooks. (Margins are the percentage bookstores add to publishers’ wholesale prices to cover salaries, shipping, etc.). According to the National Association of College Stores, the national average margin is 23.1%. UNC Charlotte’s margin is 18% (down from 23% in years past) thanks to the willingness of Barnes & Noble to help us keep textbook prices down.
Students can be part of the solution, too!
You probably already know that Barnes & Noble at UNC Charlotte will buy back books at 50% of the original price when instructors confirm that textbook will be used again the following term. Fifty percent is pretty good. But we’d like to go one better and get a Guaranteed Buy-Back program going.
Books that are part of the new Guaranteed Buy-Back initiative would pay 55% back, even after the last semester when the book goes into a new edition and no longer has value in the market. GBB books will carry a special sticker; you’ll know up front at purchase that the book will be eligible for a generous buy-back at the end of the semester.
To make this work though, we need instructors to commit to using the same book for 3 years (6 consecutive semesters). We need your help in encouraging faculty to sign their selected texts up for the program. Ideal texts would be those used for big intro courses, and would not include “bundled” items like access codes (since those may be used only once and therefore can’t be sold back). If you are taking such a course, please mention the program to your instructor.
When instructors learn from you that GBB offers 55% back even if the book goes into a new edition, they may be more inclined to support it by committing to use the same edition for 3 years. (That said, students should understand that GBB isn’t appropriate for every course’s textbook.) As awareness of GBB builds, more instructors will add more books to the program and more students will save more money. And MORE is GOOD.
To learn more about the Guaranteed Buy-Back program, contact Karen Natale in Auxiliary Services: knatale@uncc.edu or 704-687-7683.
Meet your Textbook Affordability Advocate
Karen Natale is UNC Charlotte’s Licensing and Bookstore Contract Manager. She serves the University as liaison between faculty, campus bookstore and state agencies. One of Karen’s most crucial areas of focus is textbook affordability. If you have ideas, questions, concerns about textbooks or other bookstore-related issues, please contact Karen at knatale@uncc.edu or 704-687-7683.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Parking and Transportation Services News
NEW Temporary lot at CRI Campus
A temporary gravel lot has been added to the CRI area providing 31 additional commuter parking spaces. The “Portal Lot” will provide some short-term relief until at least February, when the area will be reallocated for construction staging of the new EPIC building.
Two New Parking Lots ASAP, More to Come
Lot 19, at the corner of Cameron and Craver Roads, is under a first phase of construction to serve the Union/COE/CHHS area. Grading to prepare for a temporary gravel lot is going on now, so weather permitting, expect about 100 new spaces to be available to commuters, faculty and staff in just a couple weeks.
Lot 18, between Union Deck and Cameron Blvd., will also provide 100 spaces. Lot 18 will be an asphalt surface lot and should be ready around mid-way through next semester.
After Lot 18 is complete, the spaces in Lot 19 will close down temporarily and change from a 100-space gravel lot to an approximately 250-space asphalt surface parking area. What that means to you is this: 100 new spaces will be provided near the Union within the next few weeks and as soon as construction reality will allow, that number will expand to 350 spaces.
In the Works: More Parking Decks and Lots
Two new parking decks are in design, slated for completion in 2011. One will be located adjacent to Lot 26, the other at CRI, together adding 2,000 parking spaces to campus.
Currently under discussion is the possibility of expanding Lots 25 and CRI 2. The number of spaces these projects could yield has not yet been determined.
PaTS continues to explore ways to increase space availability and ease parking demand; we will keep you informed as projects near completion.
New Transportation Services that Support Green Initiatives
Connect By Hertz Car Sharing – Have you signed up yet?
There are many reasons why Connect by Hertz is a good fit for UNC Charlotte. Having a car readily available to use can make taking public transportation or carpooling more attractive. Car sharing takes away the worry that something may come up where you’ll need a car, such as having to run an errand or retrieve a sick child from school.
With Connect by Hertz, you can use one of four Toyota Prius vehicles parked right here on campus for only $8 per hour.
How it works:
Sign up online. Choose UNC Charlotte in the location list and use the appropriate Promo Code (Students – 1862778; F/S – 1719343).
Membership is FREE. If you’re a student, faculty or staff member at UNC Charlotte, Connect by Hertz will waive your membership fee for the first year due to an agreement arranged by Parking and Transportation Services. A valid credit or debit card is required for membership but as long as you enter that promo code, you WILL NOT be charged to join. You’ll also have to enter your driver’s license number.
After your driver’s history is checked and membership accepted, a Connect by Hertz membership card will be sent to you by mail (it takes about a week). Then you’re ready to use Connect by Hertz cars located on campus. There’s a good informational video on exactly how the program works at aux.uncc.edu/parking (at the bottom of the right column).
The $8/hour rate includes:
- Gas
- Insurance and liability protection for the car
- GPS Navigation
- iPod Adaptor
- Bluetooth
- 24-hour Roadside Assistance
- Support of a 24-hour In-house Member Care Center and in-car communication at the touch of a button
So, take the CATS bus, carpool or bike to campus and should you need a car, one will be ready and waiting for you. Or, if you live on or near campus and don’t own a vehicle, Connect by Hertz can provide independence to go where you need to go. It’s got all the perks of owning a car with none of the hassle.
And for those who have already joined and taken one of the Prius hybrids for a spin – please write and tell us what you thought of the service. Send us a note through the Auxiliary Services Conact Form
Need more information? Contact Starr Wimberly, PaTS Transportation Manager @ 704-687-3431 starr.wimberly@uncc.edu
Yellow Cab Offers UNC Charlotte Flat-Rate Service
Parking and Transportation Services has negotiated a partnership with Yellow Cab Company to provide discounted, flat rate taxi service for short distance travel near campus and common destination points such as UNC Charlotte’s uptown center and the airport.
Yellow Cab Company has placed a cabstand in Lot 13 (located off Cameron Rd., along the entrance road to Greek Village) where up to 4 cabs may be staged for quick response to calls originating from UNC Charlotte. The PaTS-Yellow Cab partnership offers students, faculty and staff a guaranteed rate of $8.50* for trips within a 2-mile radius of campus.
Flat-rate service is also available to Charlotte Douglas International Airport ($35.50*), Amtrak station (18.50*), Greyhound bus station (26.50*) and the UNC Charlotte Uptown Center at 220 North Tryon Street (26.50*).
Yellow Cabs rates to local shopping malls are: Southpark, $35.75*; Northlake $25.75*; Concord Mills, $19.00*.
To arrange pick-up, call 704-444-4444 and provide dispatcher with promotional code, “UNCC.” (Promotional code helpful, but not required) Fares can be paid with cash or credit/debit card
Parking and Transportation Services is pleased to offer this transportation option to the campus community.
*Rate calculated for one person. A $2 surcharge for each additional passenger applies to all trips.
For more information, contact: Starr Wimberly, Transportation Manager
Parking and Transportation Services, UNC Charlotte
704-687-3431 starr.wimberly@uncc.edu
Dining Services News
Last week this blog announced that a National pizza franchise was coming to Main Street Market. We’re still waiting on one piece of necessary equipment to be delivered and installed but any day now, the fabulous aroma of Chicago UNO Pizza will be wafting through Cone Center. This will be an UNO Express location, serving personal-sized, hand-tossed pizzas in three favorite flavors: Pepperoni, Sausage and Cheese. Service will be fast; taste will be satisfying and delicious. Keep checking for the opening date; we’ll be updating here and on the Dining Services Twitter.
Chicago UNO Pizza will join Use Your Noodle noodle bowls and sushi, Au Bon Pain soups and Sub Generation sandwiches in Main Street Market. And remember, Chick-fil-a Express will come to Main Street in January. If you haven’t been to Main Street Market for lunch, you ought to check it out. The AfterHours dining hall next door has lots of tables, a lovely view of the West Quad of campus and is almost never crowded.
Kitchen Kred Culinary Challenge Event Coming to Crown Commons on Nov. 19
Mark your calendar and plan to have dinner in Crown Commons on Thursday, November 19! UNC Charlotte’s Dining Service’s staff of chefs will be competing against each other and you’ll get to eat the results and pick the winners. And if you’re one of those people who watch Food Network for sport, you may want to play sous-chef for a day.
How it works:
Before the event, students who wish to participate may submit their names and pick which chef they’d like to assist; chef bios and entry forms will be set up in Crown Commons. Student participants will be selected by random drawing and notified prior to the Kitchen Kred challenge.
On the day of the event, each chef and their student sous-chef will be given a mystery basket of ingredients and assigned to a cooking station (the grill, pizza oven/deli, International, vegetarian, salad, home cooking or dessert). Each chef/student team will then have to come up with a creative recipe appropriate for their station that will appeal to hungry students (kind-of like improv with food).
Here’s the yummy part: the dish each team creates will be prepared in sight and served in Crown Commons that evening, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Everyone at Crown Commons gets vote for their favorite dish based on taste, presentation and originality. Winners will be announced immediately after votes are tallied.
Chefs Carl Brown, Cindy Torrence, Joe Torcasso, Roger Lademann, Erin Rushton, Landon Wilkerson, Rudy Hernandez and Shawn Kravis are pumped for the event. They can’t wait to have students watch them cook and compete for bragging rights.
Students chosen to sous-chef will receive a Kitchen Kred apron and be eligible for other prizes.
Monday, October 26, 2009
October Dining Services News
Have you tried Main Street Market for lunch?
“Use Your Noodle” serves up hot, fresh bowls of goodness made up as you direct. Choose the type of noodle you like (ramen, udon or soba) and then add your choice of chicken, veggies, tofu, shrimp, tempura shrimp or beef. Use Your Noodle has sushi, too!
Main Street Market is also home to Sub Generation sandwiches and Au Bon Pain soups available for lunch, Monday through Friday, 10:30am – 3pm. (And there’s rarely much of a line.)
More coming to Main Street!
A National pizza franchise is on its way to Main Street. We’re just waiting on equipment delivery. Expect a delicious new pizza concept in Main Street Market by mid-November. All the more reason to make Main Street Market a stop on your “Where to go for lunch” list. When the pizza pod opens, a register will be added to further speed service.
October’s Dining Services FAQ
In response to comments about wait times at some of the dining operations and other dining campus dining concerns.*
Improvements already made:
- An additional register was added at Crown Commons so both entrances can be utilized.
- Express register added to Prospector during the peak lunch hours (for DB/ODA/49er Account and cash purchases).
- Mamma Leone’s in the Student Union has opened an express pick-up window through Norm’s Game Lounge from 11 AM until 2 PM for quick service calzones, boxed pizzas (any size) and fountain drinks. Pastas, entrées and salads will continue to be served through main counter entrance, speeding service for everyone.
- The main counter of Mamma Leone’s is now open until 11 p.m.
What’s New
“Steamplicity” healthy meals on- the-go are now available in all Outtakes. These are fresh, refrigerated entrées (not frozen) that when heated in the microwave are steam cooked for the first time. The results are fresh and flavorful. Each recipe has been created exclusively by professional chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Martin Yan and Cary Neff and contains a well balanced mix of protein, starch and vegetable using premium selected ingredients.
What’s coming:
- Wendy’s will have separate order and pick-up areas to improve traffic flow
- Expanded hours at Wendy’s beginning Monday, Nov. 2, until 10Pm M-Th
- An additional register will be added to Wendy’s as soon as the required wiring is done (should take about three weeks)
* Dining Services appreciates the valuable input representatives from the Student Government Association have provided as we strive to meet the food services needs and wants of our rapidly growing campus community. We also appreciate student and staff who have taken the time to submit comments and suggestions thru our website contact page.
UNC Charlotte Dining sneak peek ahead:
- Chick-fil-a will be moved to Main Street Market (Cone Center) and become a Chick-fil-a Express by beginning of Spring semester. Don’t worry, there will be no interruption of service as the transition will occur during Winter Break.
- Main Street Market offers Chick-fil-a Express more room and lots of seating in AfterHours Dining Hall. (The side of the Prospector Building, where Chick-fil-a is currently, will be undergoing renovation.)
- In about a year, Chick-fil-a will back to Prospector again, only this time into the newly renovated space that once housed the main level of the old bookstore. The Chick-fil-a to-come will offer the full Chick-fil-a menu (yes, including breakfast) with seating for over 200.
- Also to come once the old bookstore section of the Prospector completes renovation: a deliciously decadent gourmet hot dog option (with hand-cut fries and unique beverages).
And what will fill the space the space in Cone Center when Chick-fil-a Express moves out? That’s up to YOU! Please fill out the brand preference survey and let us know what you’d like. This survey will help Dining Services determine current and future dining location needs. https://www.surveymo … Ln6PrOLGP0fprg_3d_3d
SAC Food Court
At least for Spring semester, the SAC Food Court will continue to operate for game and even concessions only. Once Chick-fil-a has moved Main Street Market and the new pizza concept is up and running, we will re-evaluate.
UNC Charlotte Dining Services feedback sites:
Chartwell’s Dining Services
Auxiliary Services
We value your comments and we’re listening.