Leaders probe Food Services on campus dining
By Erin LaRuffa
Associate News Editor
Food Services director Dave Prentkowski addressed the Student Senate Wednesday to explain the University's opinions of the dining halls.
Prentkowski began by explaining to senators the important role that the University sees for dining halls.
"They play a significant role in the student life and the culture of the University," said Prentkowski, who explained that much of his job actually involves working with the Office of Student Affairs. "The dining halls are a part of the residential experience — the eating in a community."
Flex Points `n' Grab and Go take away from that experience to some extent, Prentkowski added. The University therefore seeks a balance between the convenience of Flex Points and Grab `n' Go and the community of the dining halls.
Although Prentkowski said he has discussed possible improvements to Grab `n' Go with Father Mark Poorman, vice president for Student Affairs, Poorman is not supportive of the idea.
"His feeling was to not make Grab `n' Go more desirable because he wants students to go to the dining halls," Prentkowski said.
Dining halls also offer logistical benefits, according to Prentkowski.
"There are a lot of you guys on campus. The dining halls are made for volume. The Huddle is not," he said. Therefore, he said, lines at retail places such at the Huddle would get too long if more people ate there instead of at the dining hall.
Financial factors also play a significant role in how meal plans are structured.
"We base everything on how many meals we know the average student eats," said Prentkowski. "For us to start to change the model and give more flexibility, we have to start to say, `What are we going to cut?'"
He also explained that students on the 21-meal plan do not actually pay for 21 meals.
"We're not charging you for 21 meals. We're charging you for 17," he said. "There's no money left over."
This year, students are eating more meals than Food Services expected, which means the budget for meals is running out of money, he added.
Food services may consider offering more meal plan choices, but students may have to pay more for certain plans, he said.
Another major cost factor is theft, particularly from the Huddle. Since a new camera system was installed there, Prentkowski said, campus police have picked up an average of two people a day for attempting to steal from the Huddle.
Additionally, various changes are now in the works for LaFortune. Starbucks is scheduled to open by the end of spring break, and a Sbarros restaurant will replace Allegro by the fall, according to Prentkowski.
Therefore, Food Services is looking to replace Tomassito's in order to avoid having two pizza restaurants. Currently, Food Services is considering adding a sandwich shop or Mexican restaurant to the Tomassito's location, although Prentkowski said he has already determined it is impossible to add a Taco Bell outlet there.
Pasquerilla East senator Nikki McCord questioned Prentkowski as to whether a healthy alternative could be added to the renovation plans for the student center.
"The problem we have in LaFortune is that we're bursting at the seams. We looked at concepts that were the most popular and the most [in demand]," said Prentkowski. He added that Sbarros will offer healthy meals and that a Subway is one possible replacement being looked into for the Tomassito's location.
Elizabeth Lenn, the senator from Farley, also questioned Prentkowski about the differences between North and South dining halls in terms of food quality.
"I think it's a perception issue ; I really don't see it myself," he said.
All News Stories for Thursday, February 14, 2002
