The new Harter Union renovations are nearly perfect. The décor is up-to-date, the food is of better quality, and all-in-all it adjusted to students’ needs.

There’s just one exception — there’s no more Wildcat Café.

The cafe was a separate part of the union, where students could go to get sandwiches, salads, drinks and fries from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

As an off-campus student, I am unable to run home in between classes to grab a meal, and it’s inconvenient to go to one of the few lackluster restaurants around town. Last year, I would stop by the cafe and grab something in my off-hour, but this year, that is not an option.

While I could purchase a $7-lunch from the cafeteria, it isn’t specific to what I want. It is a deal for some students because they can get more for their buck, but for those of us who just want a quick drink or side of fries between classes, we’re out of luck.

Larger universities have student unions with a variety of fast food options, and the Wildcat Café was our own personal “food court.” As students, we know when we come to Baker, we are going to be limited on our choices for a lot of things — classes, friends, living arrangements — but food shouldn’t have to be one of them.

The food offered by Sodexo is delicious, but the allotted time is too limited for students. The lunchroom closes from 1:45 p.m.-5 p.m., and many of us work on a schedule where our hunger doesn’t quite match up with the allotted time from Sodexo. As an editor for the Orange, I’ll be caught up during a meeting and realize that it’s 10:30 p.m. and I haven’t had dinner. Last year, I could walk over to the café for a quick meal, but now my only options are the Kwik Shop or Taco Bell, both of which are inconvenient and unhealthy.

This isn’t just a problem for me. Students who work late, have busy schedules or late sports practices are crunched for time when it comes to eating, and the limited hours of the dining hall create problems. The closing time of the cafeterias at bigger universities isn’t an issue because, for the most part, the location has more access to food options. Baker and Baldwin City, on the other hand, are extremely limited.

The atmosphere of the café was something to be appreciated as well. It was a quieter space for students who wanted to study while they ate, or take a few minutes of break during their downtime. By taking that away, Baker is forcing students either off campus, which causes the university to miss out on monetary gain.

Although the second part of the union renovations will bring a coffee bar, it doesn’t make up for the lack of sustaining (and honestly, quite delicious) food that the Wildcat Café previously brought to campus.

For such a small town and an even smaller campus, we are already limited on available resources. The removal of the café is an unnecessary inconvenience for students and faculty alike. Although the administration emphasizes the “grill” as the new cafe, it doesn’t make up for the convenience and accessibility that the Wildcat Café offered.