Located upstairs in the Brookings Public Library is a cozy shop called Mango Tree Coffee. This coffee shop offers a pleasant place for people to relax, read or enjoy a meal in an open and bright area with free wi-fi. This combination results in a convenient study environment for college students. The menu states that they are “serving a variety of drinks and food in a bright and friendly atmosphere”.

Mango Tree Coffee is owned by Harsha Mistry, who opened shop in July 2009. Mistry originates from India and has incorporated that into her coffee shop. The name Mango Tree Coffee is personally connected to her through childhood memories of playing under her Grandpa’s mango tree in India. Keeping with the tradition, her father also planted a mango tree. Mistry’s shop is her pseudo mango tree, and the name derives from that family tradition.

The shop features Indian and ethnic food, along with soups, sandwiches and specialty coffees. The items on her menu are made from scratch and prepared at the shop. Mistry incorporates local ingredients into her menu items.

“People are drawn here for the freshness of the food and that it’s made from scratch,” Mistry said.

Indian food is the featured Wednesday and Thursday special. Wednesday’s special is samosas and Thursdays’ special includes garbanzo bean curry with saffron rice and cucumber mint yogurt.

There are three different kinds of tea found at Mango Tree Coffee. Fresh spices are in every cup. Lattes, smoothies, Italian soda, Lassi, hot chocolate and coffee are also among the beverages sold there.

“We used to sell bubble tea, and then we quit and customers kept asking about it, so now we are bringing it back,” Mistry said.

The sandwiches are served on sourdough bread from Buttercrust Bakery, and there are twelve varieties of homemade soup to choose from.

Mango Tree Coffee won three Taste of Brookings awards in August 2011. The coffee shop took people’s choice with best entrée, first in judge’s choice and also took home best use of local food.

Mango Tree Coffee has a Facebook page, provides catering and offers gift certificates.

Mango Tree Coffee hours are Monday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.

The professors that are in favor of plus-minus grading argue that the new system would make grading more descriptive. In reality, it just adds complexity to an out-of-date system. Grades can arguably motivate students, but faculty think adding the plus-minus aspect will make us try harder.

If a professor chooses to grade students vaguely, they need to accept the consequences. That professor just put himself or herself in a tough situation; the grade at the end of the semester might not reflect the quality of work. This malfunction in one class does not warrant a systematic overhaul.

Non-descriptive grades should not be the student’s fault. Turn off the TV and make a rubric so that the students can be graded fairly and objectively on all their work. Even English papers can be graded on a rubric. The issue lies in the desire of the instructor to go the extra mile for his or her students.

College is hard enough without having to worry about getting 100 percent on everything. Half the school would experience a drop in GPA and scholarships would be lost. A truly progressive school would switch to comprehensive portfolios displaying the knowledge and accomplishments of each student, or is that too much work?