Students upset over hour cuts at TroGro

Beginning today, Trojan Grounds, USC’s only 24-hour food option, will be closed from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., an announcement that has drawn the ire of many students.

Changes · Quinn Mason, a freshman majoring in cinema telivision critical studies, walks out of Trojan Grounds, USC’s 24-hour coffee shop and convenience store. USC Hospitality announced a reduction in hours Wednesday. - Mindy Curtis | Daily Trojan

USC Hospitality began considering the change in the middle of last semester, according to Kris Klinger, director of USC Hospitality.

Klinger also said Trojan Grounds, commonly known around campus as TroGro, has not always been a 24-hour establishment, but has switched back and forth in the last 10 years.

He said he does not think the change in hours will have a major impact on students.

“Based on the minimal, and some days non-consequential, traffic between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., we do not anticipate the change in hours having a significant affect on the students,” Klinger wrote in an email.

Nevertheless, many students are disappointed.

“It’s terrible that TroGro won’t be open 24 hours a day,” said Megan Tucker, a sophomore majoring in political science. “I won’t have any place to go to keep me going when I’m studying in Leavey at 2:30 in the morning.”

Ryan Williams, a freshman majoring in broadcast and digital journalism, created an event on Facebook to protest the changes at TroGro.

He is encouraging people to email Phillip Valdez, associate director of USC Hospitality, asking Hospitality to reconsider the decrease in hours.

“I thought that doing a petition online would be easier, since it would just go straight to [USC Hospitality]. We just want to flood their inboxes with emails to tell them that we’re not happy with their decision,” Williams said.

The Facebook event, titled “Keep TroGro Open 24/7!,” has reached more than 2,500 members in just one day, as of press time.

“First I just invited my friends to the event. We all live in Birnkrant, so we use TroGro the most,” Williams said.

“But clearly the student reaction has been overwhelming. Plenty of people are pulling all-nighters and need food to keep going,”

Arunima Paul, a graduate student studying English, visual studies, said even though she isn’t on campus as much as the typical USC student, she still wishes TroGro would remain open 24 hours a day.

“When I am on campus, I come here a lot and rely on my cup of coffee from TroGro,” Paul said.

Employees at TroGro also expressed unhappiness about the recent hour changes.

“It’s cutting back on the hours that I can work here, but there’s really nothing you can do about it. It’s pretty inconvenient for all of us,” said Edgar Santellana, a TroGro employee.

Klinger, however, said USC Hospitality is open to feedback from students, who can send their comments to http://hospitality.usc.edu/Feedback.aspx.

“We are a fluid organization and we are open to suggestions, ideas and solutions,” Klinger wrote. “Changes can and will be made after consideration, weighing the options and extensive input from all students, staff, faculty and constituents.”