Campus Coronavirus News

Moody Dining to remain closed through spring semester

The Moody Dining Commons will remain closed through the Spring 2021 semester and is projected for reopening at the start of next academic year. | Christopher Charleston/The Cougar

The Moody Dining Commons will remain closed through the Spring 2021 semester and is projected for reopening at the start of next academic year. | Christopher Charleston/The Cougar

The Moody Dining Commons will remain closed through the spring semester and is set to reopen in Fall 2021, although plans have yet to be finalized by UH Dining.

“(Moody’s) opening is subject to change, based on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Alexcis Mendoza, district marketing manager for UH Dining.  

In the meantime, the Cougar Woods Dining Commons will continue 24-hour operations. The facility currently serves at 50 percent capacity. Any capacity changes will be contingent on the COVID-19 pandemic, University requirements, local mandates and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Mendoza said.

When Moody Dining does reopen, guests will have dine-in and to go-options and one of the two dining commons will be open 24/7, but not both, Mendoza said.

Some students, like human development and family studies sophomore Faith Myers, were unhappy about the news of Moody Dining’s continued closure.

“The dining hall being closed was a shock and disappointment because I chose to live in Moody Towers so that I could easily access healthy meals no matter the weather,” Myers said. “I was upset to find out that I would have to walk the 1.2 miles to Cougar Woods for every meal when I lived right above the closed dining hall.” 

Due to the lengthy walk, short hours and unpredictable Houston weather, Myers said that it’s sometimes not even worth the meal. 

“Walking all the way to Cougar Woods has led to a few nights where I just don’t eat dinner because I did school work too late and didn’t want to walk all the way there in the dark,” Myers said. 

Despite the journey, there are other students such as electrical engineering senior Afriaa Nasir that would prefer to eat at Cougar Woods because of the space it provides. 

“In terms of table arrangement and spacing, I’d prefer Cougar Woods,” Nasir said. “Moody would only be good for takeout options in my opinion. Tables in Moody are crowded … so if Moody were to open, I’d opt for takeout instead of dining in.” 

Another concern students face when Moody opens again is the level of sanitation placed upon it after being closed for so long. 

“If Moody did open up, I would be concerned about the cleanliness of the dining hall because I have watched the careless way that Cougar Woods is cleaned,” Myers said.

“If Moody was reopened, I have no doubt it would not be cleaned like it should, even though I would rather eat there than Cougar Woods because the food at Cougar Woods has proven to be disappointing and not worth the walk,” Myers added.

UH Dining plans to implement the same standards for cleaning, safety and operations as in place during the fall semester, Mendoza said.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to indicate the dining commons that will offer 24/7 service when Moody Dining Commons reopens. It was originally listed as two. 

For more of The Cougar’s coronavirus coverage, click here.

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