A number of dining service management companies have used guest chef programs to spice up the dining experience on client campuses.
Bob Sempek at Treat America says bringing in chefs from other colleges, as well as from some of the consulting company’s business and industry accounts, has generated enthusiastic response. Students get to watch visiting chefs prepare gourmet fare, while the chefs get to travel a bit and enjoy a change of scene.
Every dining services operator aims to maximize cost efficiency, and that means saving money as well as producing revenue.
At UMass, Dartmouth, combining full-service and self-service dining under the management of Chartwells, has helped to reduce labor costs and improve efficiency, according to auxiliary services director Jeff Augustine.
“We are getting a lot more hours out of our labor and services for our students than we did with our previous vendor,” Augustine says.
After a number of students at Lesley University (Mass.) sued the institution for not providing adequate/safe dining options for them, the Justice Department reached a settlement with Lesley officials. The university, which contracts with Bon Appetit Dining Services, agreed to amend policies and practices to:
Continually provide both hot and cold gluten-free and allergen-free options in dining hall food lines. Allow students to pre-order allergen-free meals. Provide a dedicated space in the main dining hall to store and prepare gluten-free and allergen-free foods and to avoid cross-contamination.
Making dietary changes isn’t just a good idea for staying healthy—it’s a way of going green, too. Colleges and universities are quickly taking notice. By buying local and promoting eating less meat, they’re helping students change the way they think about food in their dining halls and across campus, for the health of not only the campus community, but the planet.
Think that a vegan diet is an oxymoron in cattle country? Not so at the University of North Texas, which has made following a plant-based diet very much a reality by building the Mean Greens dining hall. The idea for the vegan-only hall was developed out of student demand, and served an average of 4,500 students a day in the first week after opening August 22, shares Ken Botts, director of special programs for UNT Dining Services. “Students vote with their feet,” he says.
In the event of a severe allergic reaction, a delay of even a few minutes in getting an epinephrine injection can make a scary situation deadly. That appears to be what happened to Kennesaw State University (Ga.) student Tyler Cody Davis, who, on August 18, ate at the campus dining hall, later returned there in distress to seek emergency assistance, and not long after was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to a KSU statement.
Digital signage has existed on campuses in some form for decades. Originally, it was standard television sets embedded in the wall with a slow crawl of text showing campus news. Now, high-quality flatscreens display live TV, text, and information tickers all at the same time.
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Rich in natural light, the building aims to help students be inspired by the school's mission, encouraging them to remember the need for accountability and transparency in international service. |
Start with an understanding of campus culture, stir in a strong sense of community, blend in a brand new dining facility and dining program, season with an educational component, and simmer for a sensory delight that will satisfy the hardiest appetite.
Trine University (Ind.)
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Made-from-scratch recipes help Trine's dining services to minimize its carbon imprint. |
Total full-time enrollment: 1,328
Institution type: Four-year private
Each of our 65 entries was evaluated, using a point system for each response, by at least four members of the University Business team and one external judge, with similar-sized institutions grouped together.
Questions covered:
(1) the extent to which the facility and program uniquely reflect the institution
(2) the comfort and safety levels of diners
(3) sustainability initiatives
1. A variety of table sizes and styles?from bar stools to tables fit for a team and everything in between.
2. Comfortable seating?perhaps choosing sprung-back chairs, as the College of the Ozarks (Mo.) did.
3. Detached food stations?to avoid long lines building up.
4. Exhibition-style cooking?both entertaining and an excellent chance to get students and chefs talking.
1. Personalized d?cor?featuring a campus mural, as at Georgetown University (D.C.), or student artwork, as at Winthrop University (S.C.), the University of Southern California and Norwich University (Vt.). Georgetown’s mural includes university founder John Carroll, a classroom scene, university sports, D.C. memorials overlooking the Potomac River, a graduation scene, and the university seal.
DINING FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS ARE an integral part of campus life. Long gone are cafeteria-style dining areas with cafeteria-quality food. Today’s students can savor a dining experience that rivals the best home cooking and their favorite restaurants?and college and university dining services departments are delivering just that. Program administrators realize that customer service and diner input are key.
