Spring Food Forums discuss the College’s food service bid process, hear student concerns
By Allison Tinsey, News Editor
Within a week, two Food Forums resumed talk on the heavy issue of the dining services provider bidding process. Students were encouraged to voice their opinions and views on what should be included in the document that will go out to potential bidding candidates. The events were moderated by Dean Sarah Westfall; Assistant Dean of Students Dana Jansma; and Vice President for Business and Finance Jim Prince.
Both forums hosted a group of just under 40 students. The drop in participation was surprising because most thought that interest would peak when the juniors returned from study abroad. However, StuComm Secretary of Finance and forum attendee Darrin Camilleri (K’14) said, “Over spring break students stopped thinking about the issue and momentum slowed when they got back to campus. Students need to be re-energized.”
The Richardson Room could host a convenience store or offer more meal equivalency options after discussions at the Food Forums
Dean Westfall began each forum by explaining the bidding process and pointing out that the school has not considered doing something like this in over 40 years. “This is not a hit on Sodexo, it is institutional stewardship,” Westfall said. Westfall then went on to give the remaining steps and long-term timeline of the bidding process. This should culminate in a new contract being signed by spring of 2013. She stressed the importance of student involvement in the process and said, “We expect the students to be involved in order for this to be a successful endeavor.”
The first forum was hindered by debate over the College’s social justice values and how they can be applied to K. Ellen Murphy (K’12) advocated for student culture change and for the education of the students on food justice issues. She said, “In order to make change, we must educate, advocate, and form policies.”
However, to some students, social justice hits much closer to home. As Daniel Kilburn (K’13) remarked, “We have to take a holistic approach to social justice. It is not just about food, but also the students affected by costs of the meal plan as well.”
At the second forum held this past Monday, the focus of talk shifted from food sociology to meal plan economics. A variety of ideas were advocated by students on how the meal plans can be better organized and more cost-effective. Curtis Gough (K’14) asked, “Can there be more breakfast meal swipe options, besides the caf?”
Deans Westfall and Jansma both discussed how the group that decides on the food provider will most likely travel to other schools or ask the candidates how they determine meal plans. “We definitely need to modernize our practices,” said Westfall, “However, the efforts made by the College and dining services make the caf unrecognizable from that of two or three years ago.”
Kalamazoo College senior Julia Schroeder commented on the improvement of campus food. As a student athlete and former vegan, she can attest to the changes made in the last couple years. She stated, “It’s the little things like beans or nuts that can make all the difference for a vegan to get protein and I think that makes going into the caf all the more easy now than it was.” She also said, “As an athlete, it can be tough getting the nutrition we need from eating in the caf, but things have definitely changed for the better in my time here at K.”
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