LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville is scaling back the hours for many places where students get food, and some students aren't happy.

Sydney Webb is a freshman at UofL who works the late shift at UPS, sometimes on days when her schedule is filled with classes.

“It’s kind of hard already for me to get an early dinner, and now with limiting hours, it’s even harder to do so and I have very limited options,” Webb said.

Most students have to buy some sort of meal plan with the university, meaning Sydney and thousands of others already paid money to eat at these restaurants on campus.

Webb said she paid more $1,115 this semester, which she said is below the average for a freshman.

“It makes me so mad because I know a bunch of people are struggling financially with COVID and losing jobs,” Webb said, noting she lost her job for a time last year due to the pandemic and had to work at a grocery store.

Several spots on campus will close several hours early, while some are cutting days off their schedules or just closing altogether for the rest of the semester.

Freshman Ellie Howard is Catholic and has even fewer options now for a Lent-friendly meal on Fridays.  

“They closed down two of the biggest vegetarian options, only on Fridays,” Howard said, describing Subway, which is closed on Fridays, and Einstein Bros. Bagels, which is closed for the rest of the semester.

Fewer students are on campus due to COVID-19, meaning fewer students have meal plans.  

UofL Chief Operating Officer Mark Watkins said there are typically about 10,000 meal plans in an average semester; this year, that number is down to 3,800.

“The only operations that were reduced or closed were ones that had very little traffic count— that is, the students weren’t even showing up there,” Watkins said.

Watkins said he was surprised to hear a loud outcry from students, but he wants to hear more from students.

“We closed or we modified hours in locations and at times that they weren’t frequenting, so nothing has changed in regards to their ability to get food when they want it and how they want it,” Watkins said. “My suggestion is, before we do anything, let’s sit down and have a conversation and let’s get specifics. If there is a need, and there is a demand at a certain time, we will reevaluate that.”

Watkins noted it took the university three weeks to gather enough data on where they stand with meal plans and other variables this semester to make the decision to scale back operations.

Many UofL students Spectrum News spoke with want at least some of their money back, but they aren’t hopeful that will happen.

Howard paid $2,092 this semester for her plan.

“I paid that meal plan thinking that I was going to have the same options I had last semester and they just took a lot of them away,” Howard said.

A group of students organized a petition urging university leaders to either issue refunds or change the hours back. As of 6:30 p.m., the petition as more than 1,600 signatures.

“Personally, I want a refund for being forced into a meal plan I can barely use,” said Hayleigh Walker, one of the students who started the petition. “I started this to advocate for people like the freshmen and UPS workers that are literally starving as a result.”

Students are also upset with a perceived lack of communication. Webb said it was buried in a student newsletter email last week before it was announced Wednesday on Instagram.

“I think they just kind of pulled it off to the side and made it quick just to shut everyone up,” Webb said.

After receiving backlash for the decision, the university put out a survey asking students which restaurants they want to see have expanded hours.

Howard said the two-question survey is inadequate.

“I don’t think that’s helpful in the long run,” Howard said.

Watkins said the university did what it could to publish notice of the changes — including postings at the dining areas, posts on social media and a post on the university housing website — but the university can always work on communications.

He people can always email him at mark.watkins@louisville.edu or stop by his office to discuss the changes. He also said a meeting is planned next week with students to discuss the issue.