Whether you know it by the name of Jazzman's, EcoGrounds, or just 'the Newberry College coffee shop,' you're not going to get your caffeine fix in the morning there anymore. This semester, Sodexo and Newberry College changed the hours for the coffee shop, which now opens at 4 pm and closes at 11 pm, Sunday through Thursday. For those looking for their morning cup 'o Joe, they'll have to look somewhere else.
Dean of Students Sandra Rouse said in a campus email sent January 17th that the schedule change was a result of "concerns about the lack of coffee and Jazzman’s not being open during prime study hours, especially during exam time." While many students noted that the previous hours did not allow them to get coffee late at night during the final exam crunch, few seemed happy with the changes that exclude morning coffee drinkers.
While there is coffee to drink in the caf in the mornings, the coffee area is frequently missing cups, doesn't include lids, and has both sugar and creamer only seldomly. Jazzman's is the best route to order a specific coffee drink, smoothie, or another treat. Newberry College students have been expressing their displeasure with the new hours since they were announced.
"I love only being able to get my coffee after 4 pm,." said a senior male who preferred to remain unnamed. He commented on the coffee available in the cafeteria, saying "If I wanted garbage water in a Styrofoam cup, I'd head to Flint."
"The Jazzman hours are so contradictory that even the employees don't show up on time," the student added, citing a common campus complaint that the shop's hours are more of a suggestion than an actual business practice.
Junior student Kayla Hutto prefers to drink iced coffee and frappuccinos. "I can't get that because they're closed and they don't have that in the caf," she said. "I would rather have [the shop open] in the morning."
"I just want some damn coffee at 9 am," said another junior, Dakota Elzy, summing up a sentiment many others on campus are agreeing with. "Coffee is for mornings."
