Pointlife
Students purchase food now made by University Dining Services
University Dining Services
The Pointer
hshee298@uwsp.edu
Starting June 1st, 2009, Chartwells officially stopped feeding the students of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Due to an overwhelming desire for student input in their dining options, University Dining Services, or UDS, is now in charge and taking the campus’ bellies by storm.
Now, the food you get from the Debot Dining Center, the Dreyfus University Center, the Food for Thought Café, the C-Store, and the Homegrown Café will all be provided by the university as opposed to an outside food provider like Chartwells.
Headed by Director Mark Hayes and Assistant Director of Culinary Operations Angel Alcantar, UDS is striving for not only a healthier menu, but a healthier relationship with its customers, the students of UWSP. The new administrators are proving their commitment to communication through utilizing a student based staff, creating an online community complete with a Facebook group, blog and student crafted goals.
“The biggest change for dining services is that last year 90 full time staff and 100 student staff members worked here. Now we have just 24 full time staff on board and over 200 students working,” said Hayes, .
More student employees means more opportunities for direct student input. This proximity allows the executive management of UDS to harness the opinions of their student employees, such as asking them to taste test options before committing any new item to an upcoming menu.
Expanding even further, incorporating students campus-wide, Hayes updates a blog about UDS regularly and implements the idea of a “UDS Roundtable.” According to the UDS Web site, “The UDS Roundtable focuses on the four areas that encompass the progressive dining service interests of the University.” More specifically: community, shared planet, nutrition and culinary connections. So far students have been utilizing this open atmosphere by sharing their concerns about vegetarian and vegan options along with their desire for self-sustainability. The Debot Dining Center now boasts organics, farm raised chicken, cage-free eggs, locally made uniforms, batch cooking for freshness and some local food.
The new administrators didn’t stop there. Another added feature called “special events,” is available to preview on their website. These “special events” include themed dinners, celebrations, exam time bonanzas and more. There are also days for calculating food waste to link a worldly perspective with the sense of campus community these events will cultivate. Hayes and Alcantar stressed that these ideas have students’ hearts at their core.
What is the result of this new style of student ownership? So far, the Debot Dining Center’s past moaners and groaners have turned into adamant believers in what is happening there. “Compliments to the chef” have been overheard in student conversations all over campus. Shannon Ward, a sophomore at UWSP, applauded the new selection stating:
“Debot is now worth the time and money I put into meals here. The food tastes homemade and the options are amazing.”
As for the new directors, Hayes and Alcantar would like all the students to judge themselves. They want to welcome each student and their ideas to the UDS community. E-mail comments, complaints and suggestions are welcome. You can also post comments on a whiteboard located outside the DUC food court.
Student representatives in many of the campus student organizations are also organizing a UDS student board to look into student issues and concerns as well as developing new ideas and components to UDS. This would be an even more direct way for students to have their voices heard through a governance process.
