Wildcat Den will remain open for the foreseeable future in a major reversal from Dining Services. The College backtracked on the closure in light of student feedback following news that the location would close to accommodate Chick-fil-A.
“News regarding plans to close the Wildcat Den understandably caught many of you off-guard,” Richard Terry, director of auxiliary services, wrote in an email to The Davidsonian. “We have received and heard your feedback. As a result, we have reconsidered the decision and will not be closing the Wildcat Den.”
The initial decision to close Wildcat Den was only communicated to five students who worked at the location last spring. Student Government Association (SGA) President Connor Hines found out about the decision through word of mouth. Since then, he has been in communication with Dining Services to understand the reason for the closure.
“We reached out immediately upon hearing the update and relayed the strong reaction we were hearing from the student body,” Hines and SGA Vice President Harry Carter ‘28 wrote in a statement. “Dining Services was receptive from the start, and we’re grateful for their openness to dialogue, their willingness to listen, and their responsiveness throughout the process.”
Dining Service’s reversal will come as a relief to students who spoke highly of Wildcat Den’s fresh and healthy options.
“This outcome reflects not only the passion and feedback of students but also the administration’s commitment to taking student voices seriously,” Hines and Carter wrote. “The Den is a space many students love, whether for its food, its friendly staff, or the sense of community it provides. We are glad that those values are being preserved, and that future generations of Davidson students will benefit from what makes the Den special.”
Terry noted that while menu and layout changes are still being considered, the college plans to engage students throughout the process.
“As we continue to serve you in this venue, we are going to gather data and more feedback and look for ways to better serve students and employees,” Terry wrote. “We plan to engage students, with the help of SGA, and consider strategies for additional student dining options […] We will maintain communication with SGA representatives on a continuing basis about these and other dining matters.”