News
New dining service director brings new ideas to UW-SP
The Pointer
jglod170@uwsp.edu
Mark Hayes has worked in the food industry all across the world. Now, he is settling down at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point as the new director of dining services. With the change of the food service on campus becoming self-operational, Hayes was hired to get things going with the hiring of staff and bringing in of new ideas and changes to the way we see food.
Hayes has experience across a wide range of food services throughout his life, from his most recent experiences as a general manager of Harvard University dining services, to experience as a manager at restaurants in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, to opening restaurants abroad in Amsterdam and even managing a restaurant in Singapore. He worked in fine dining before turning to university dining.
“I started to look at the food business more from the standpoint of education; understanding the why, how and when of food,” said Hayes. “When it started, where it came from, how you get it from the farm to the plate; understanding the food itself and the history of it and how it brings people together. So, kind of broadened my thinking on the whole food element, kind of led me to university dining.”
Ideas are being discussed around the food service transition committee, as well as many subcommittees as to what changes will be implemented with the new self-operational food program. Hayes comes in with his own ideas for change, especially around revitalizing the Debot Dining Center dining experience while not changing as much with the seemingly more popular retail dining in the Dreyfus University Center.
“I’m one that feels that if something works, don’t change it, you know, tweak it as you go,” said Hayes. “From the feedback I’ve gotten, mostly from students, is that the residential dining seems to be on the low end of the comments while the retail side is on the high end. Those operations on the retail side are better than anything we had at Harvard.”
Hayes wants students to realize, though, that change won’t be immediate, but that this whole process of really creating a new dining experience at UW-SP is a gradual process over years.
“It’s not like everyone is going to come back in September and it is going to be a miracle. It is about the basics, building on what works.”
Students supporting the local food movements may find it appealing that Hayes will be pushing for local produce being brought onto campus whenever possible, within the restraints of the UW System policies. He plans to research farms from across the state and in our own community to find sources of produce to bring to UW-SP if possible.
“I think the trend is more towards local foods,” said Hayes. “Not just for universities or colleges, but in society and the United States. People are starting to understand that they don’t want their average piece of produce traveling 1,500 miles.”
Along the common ideal of sustainability at UW-SP, Hayes plans to use food waste audits twice a semester, if possible, to look into how much food waste students produce as well as look at why this happens and try to change it.
“You could look at a number of things; is it specific food items, is it a bad menu, is it specific meal periods because of dining habits due to time restraints?” said Hayes.
Also being looked into is composting food waste and tray-free dining on specific days to reduce on water usage chemical usage, and time used for cleaning trays.
Hayes also showed support for creating a shared governance organization to bring in feedback from students and the campus community.
“I like to work as transparent as possible, working as much in the sunlight as possible. Obviously, every decision is not always up to vote, but I think input is really important, especially from students.”
Hayes can be contacted with ideas and comments at mhayes@uwsp.edu.
