The Red Eye Special from University Dining Services began this morning, June 1, and continues through the end of finals week on June 11. During the promotion, all students, faculty and staff can purchase 12-ounce drip coffee for just 50 cents after 5 p.m. at The Atrium in Arntzen Hall, Miller Market, VU Market, VU Cafe, Tony's Coffee Haggard Hall, Rock's Edge Cafe, The Haven and The Underground Coffeehouse.

Curious about where the local, sustainable produce used on the Western Washington University campus is grown? WWU's Dining Services is putting on a free tour of one of Growing Washington's farms on Thursday, June 3.

The tour will leave from the Viking Commons on campus at 9 a.m. and will return by noon. To reserve a spot on the trip, sign up on one of the attendance sheets located near the entrances of each of the dining commons on campus. Space is limited.

University Dining Services is holding a naming contest for the new bagel kiosk opening in Wilson Library in the fall. The kiosk will be located on the main floor of the library in the newly renovated collaborative space, which once housed Special Collections.

A $500 Munch Money credit goes to the winner of the naming contest. To submit an entry, click here.

Western Washington University's University Dining Services has announced an exclusive relationship with Mai Pham, the world-renowned Thai and Vietnamese chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. The partnership is designed to showcase Pham's culinary mastery of an emerging cuisine and engage customers' senses, according to a recent press release from Dining Services.

Throughout spring quarter, Dining Services will feature seven of Pham's recipes at all three resident dining locations (Viking Union, Ridgeway Commons and Fairhaven Commons).

Two unrelated acts of nature are currently affecting the availability of certain varieties of produce nationwide. The Western Washington University campus community may notice an impact in the resident dining halls and campus markets, as well as at local grocery stores and restaurants.

Western Washington University President Bruce Shepard posted a new blog entry this morning on what one person called the "Starbuckization" of Wilson Library. Check out Bruce's new post here. In his post, Bruce talks about the Library's plans to create a "learning commons," part of which would be a new cafe, study and relaxation area.

Western Washington University's Dining Services recently has lowered the prices on several of its best-selling food items.

The price of a peanut butter and jelly wedge sandwich has been lowered to $2.49 from $3.19. A starter caesar salad is now $1.99, down from $2.29. Baker’s Breakfast Cookies are $1 cheaper, now priced at $0.99. And the price of tuna salad has been lowered 20 cents to $1.79.

A few more prices:

Through Thursday, Nov. 12, Western Washington University Dining Services invites all students, faculty, staff and alumni at WWU to take part in a nationwide event called Helping Hands Across America, with the primary goal of providing as much non-perishable food as possible to local food banks. This effort is in conjunction with the Sodexo Foundation and the STOP Hunger initiative, which has a national objective of setting the Guinness World Record on Nov. 12 for The Largest Food Drive by a Non-Charitable Organization in a 24-hour Period in Multiple Locations.