A change is gonna come to Leo’s next fall. Or at least, that’s what Georgetown administrators have promised, which is to say, it’s far from certain. A press release from last June promised a vast overhaul to Leo O’Donovan Dining Hall including as many themed mini-restaurants—with names like Barracas Italian Bistro, the Rolling Pin Coffee House, and Leo’s Diner—as could fit in a single building.
Though the press release said renovations would begin over the 2007-08 winter break, administrators are now saying that work is expected begin in early June and be finished by the start of the 2008-09 school year. Hopefully, these renovations will bring not only much-needed improvements in quality, but also a new sense of competence and accountability.
To be fair, some renovations have taken place since the initial announcement of a new and improved Leo’s. However, new doors at the entrance to Leo’s and the minor interior layout changes fall far short of the progress that should have been made thus far. When asked why serious renovations haven’t begun yet, administrators are remaining mum. Margie Bryant, Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services, declined to comment about the renovations and referred us to the Office of Communications, which gave a response that was similarly illuminating. If we return from summer break to find they’ve fallen short of their current timeline, answers should be more forthcoming.
Hopefully, though, that won’t be the case. Leo’s could desperately use a face-lift and Georgetown students, especially the roughly 3,000 freshman and sophomores for whom meal plans are mandatory, deserve more and better dining options than overly seasoned zucchini, questionable meats, and scrambled eggs from a carton. Completing the renovations over the summer, especially considering the mass of high-schoolers which descends on our campus for summer programs, is certainly an ambitious goal. But given that the changes were announced a year ago, Georgetown students should expect nothing less.
