Re: Courtyard Cafe temporarily closed for installation of self-order kiosks
Recently, in-person ordering at the Courtyard Cafe has been replaced with electronic touchscreen kiosks. Last term, machine hand scanners replaced all but one in-person swipe station in the Class of 1953 Commons.
This transition to automated systems in community spaces is troubling. I believe Dartmouth Dining made these changes in response to valid concerns about efficiency and labor availability, which must be accounted for as Dartmouth plans for the future. However, transitions to automated systems cannot be accepted as risk-free.
Any change that reduces human-to-human connection on campus is detrimental to community happiness and an education that prioritizes real-world skills. While I do not contend that the erosion of small, food-ordering interactions will single-handedly worsen campus mental health, I worry about these changes' cumulative effects.
Personal interactions remind us of our individual humanity and our role in a community. Ask a ’25 or ’26 who the word “boss” reminds them of, and many will know it’s the cheerful Souleymane. Similarly, Darin at Collis remembers our egg orders and tells us to enjoy the sunshine. Recent changes endanger these relationships. With increased automation, it is significantly easier to imagine a Dartmouth student navigating an entire day without exchanging words with another community member than when I began as a freshman.
Dartmouth is a bubble with a thick wall, making it all the more important to have visible non-student community members. Friendly dining workers remind us of the world outside of Dartmouth and the immense privilege we have in the many people who work to support us. Will the ’29s know these community members? Will the people who work hard to keep us fed and healthy remain totally invisible to them?
Dartmouth’s campus informs its values. Dartmouth should not create a type of young person who believes efficiency is more important than relationships. Dartmouth should create young people who believe in genuine “how are yous,” stopping and saying hello and “thank yous” to the people who generously enable the function of our community.
Dartmouth Dining must consider the potential for adverse consequences of automation and adjust accordingly.
Natalie Keim is a member of the Class of 2025. Letters to the editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
