OCCC students have choices.

They can forge their own career paths, taking classes when they want and as many, or as few, credit hours as they want at any given time. Classes are offered morning, noon and night – and even on Saturday.

It’s all about you at OCCC — except when it comes to food.

The college limits what options students are offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner while other academic institutions such as the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University offer food courts and multiple dining outlets on their campuses.

While Carson’s Market Fresh Deli offers a variety of meals, Carson’s remains, to this day, the only option on campus, operating both the general dining area and the coffee shop.

Even though a variety of restaurants surround the campus, offering more choices here on campus would be wise business for OCCC for numerous reasons other than that of mere convenience.

It would also allow students who only have 15 minutes between classes a chance to grab a bite to eat instead of worrying about rushing off campus so they can make it back in time for class.

By allowing extra vendors on campus, OCCC could possibly increase revenues by partnering with additional providers in addition to Carson’s, if students choose to put their money where their mouth is by supporting these new vendors

For a period during the 1990s, OCCC offered a Taco Bell on campus for students near where the coffee shop now is.

However, why limit the college to offering another greasy fast food option for the masses?

If it were economically feasible, OCCC should open its doors to a variety of different vendors that could offer vegan options or a variety of different cuisines from Thai food to Greek food such as Gyros.

If there is no room on campus for a few of these culinary options, might it be possible to allow vendor trucks to set up in campus parking lots?

OCCC allows vendor trucks during events such as the recent Arts Festival this past September.

Why not make that a more permanent fixture during the breakfast or lunchtime rush?

Author Robert Fritz once wrote, “If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise.”

By having only one dining option on campus, students are limiting their choices and compromising.