Shortly after its opening in January of last year, Loker Commons--the campus' much anticipated new student center--drew a cult of students eager for a place to study, socialize and use their newly-created Crimson Cash.

But this year, amid a host of problems, the popularity of the gray-panelled, light-festooned Loker has undeniably waned. As a result, Loker has experienced a reduction of operating hours, a cut back in employees, slightly raised prices and a massive reassessment of services.

Alisha M. Quintana '99 is one of many students who said the novelty of Loker has worn off.

Although Quintana said she made a pilgrimage to the Commons every other night last year, she said that she and her friends rarely visit Loker this year.

"I never come here this year," Quintana said.

Michael P. Spence '99 agreed, saying that Loker has not been as successful as the University had hoped.

"[Loker Commons] is not the booming social center that the Administration thought it would be," said the Dunster House resident.

Complaints About Loker

Since it opened, complaints about Loker's features have ranged from commentaries regarding the dubious usefulness of Loker's two conspicuous LED (light-emitting diode) displays to frustrated exclamations about the hang-out's dearth of computer terminals.

Harvard Dining Services (HDS), which runs Loker, has reportedly lost a great deal of money this year on the increasingly underutilized establishment, which took eight years to plan and cost $25 million to build--$7 million of which was donated to the University by Katharine Bogdanovich Loker, widow of Donald P. Loker '25.

According to Leonard D. Condenzio, acting director of HDS, a great deal of money could be lost if Loker is not revitalized soon.

"If we continue to trend the way we have been trending in September and October, we could stand to lose a substantial amount of money," he said.

When Ted A. Mayer was announced as the new director of HDS in April, he stressed revamping Loker Commons as one of his top priorities.

Although Loker was often crowded during meal times, the stores were losing money during later hours, administrators said.

"People weren't purchasing much food after 7 p.m.," said Project Manager of Dining Services Alexandra McNitt.