Bravo. This is the sound of the Optimist applauding the university for bearing in mind students and their input when Dining Services unveiled the renovated McGlothlin Campus Center.

While the Optimist is wary of becoming the university’s cheerleader, such obvious effort- and success-deserves some praise.

Aesthetically, the renovations took the Campus Center from a vaguely ’80s era to a more modern time with easy-to-clean tile floors and actually accessible restaurants. Even better is the ease at which students can still walk through the Campus Center if they are not eating or sit with friends if they are.

For the first time, students have a place to eat where they will not be smothered by those waiting in line for the Bean or displaced by Bean Sprout patrons. There is plenty of room to eat, stand in line and walk.

The much-anticipated Quiznos finally materialized on campus, providing students the healthier fast food alternative they have been pleading for in countless Zoomerang surveys and campus favorites like Chick-fil-A and Freshens remained.

Prices seem to be competitive, and so far lines have not been unmanageable-even during the post-Chapel rush.

The renovations opened up the Campus Center and gave it a feeling reminiscent of many college campus’ student centers.

And perhaps the greatest news is that this change is only the first half of proposed renovations. The World Famous Bean is slated to undergo a drastic change in summer 2008, bringing food preparations from behind the scenes to where students can see them, Anthony Williams told SA last spring.

Complaints about the Bean are pervasive among many students, and we can only hope the changes to the Bean will prove as positive as those to the rest of the Campus Center.

As the 21st Century Vision moves forward and administrators select investments that support their mission, we hope they continue to seek out student opinions-and listen to them. In the meantime, we’ll be enjoying the new Campus Center.