Student resolution calls for Rice Management Company to reverse lease termination of YoYo’s, Gogi

By Maria Morkas     1/24/23 10:37pm

A student resolution calling for the Rice Management Company to reverse the lease terminations of YoYo’s Hotdog and Oh My Gogi in Rice Village passed unanimously at the Jan. 23 Student Association senate meeting. 

Jae Kim, Brown College senator, wrote and introduced the resolution. He said he thought removing two food vendors central to Rice culture for a few parking spots was misguided.

“This issue is specifically important to me because I think that terminating the leases would be counter to the values of community, accessibility and diversity [that] Rice University, as well as RMC, define ourselves by, as well as the culture of care we laud ourselves for,” Kim said in  Monday’s senate meeting.

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SA President Gabby Franklin said that she has been in communication with Housing and Dining Director David McDonald to arrange food trucks on campus again — a pre-pandemic tradition. Franklin said McDonald and the relevant parties have met, and the conversation about reinstating this tradition is ongoing. 

H&D could not be reached for confirmation.

An RMC representative previously told the Thresher that YoYo’s and Oh My Gogi were occupying critical parking space. Kim said the RMC should find other ways to resolve the parking issue, especially in the face of strong student opposition. An online petition titled “Save YoYo’s and Oh My Gogi!” now has more than 8,000 signatures.

“I think that showing the administration that the student body is supporting this resolution is important because [RMC] should have the best interest of students and the university at heart,” Kim said. “Demonstrating overwhelming student opposition against their decision might make them reconsider.”

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