News

Meeting debates food

By Julian Gunther
News Reporter

Representatives of Chartwells Catering met with leaders of the Residence Halls Association on Tuesday to discuss on-campus-dining issues. 

Michael Lee, director of the Megabyte Cafe, stated their main concern about the lack of communication, saying, "Leave me a comment card. I read the comment cards daily."

Convenience store prices have fluctuated recently and upset on-campus diners, but Nick Iula, director of Chartwells Food Services, admitted the convenience store operates differently than a traditional grocery store, and because they cannot deal in large volume, their prices are higher. 

"The C-Store was never meant as a place to come and spend your meal plan," Iula said. "To believe that the C-Store is going to have Kroger prices is unreasonable; the numbers just donit work that way. On a $5 box of cereal, we might have to pay $3.50 for it."

Students voiced their complaints about the unreliable hours of the convenience store, and Chartwells representatives said this was the first time they had heard the issue. Several students, including Residence Halls Association President Beth Payne, said that despite the fact the Oberholtzer convenience store has posted hours, students often find the doors locked and the staff outside taking a cigarette break or eating. Iula is considering putting up a log sheet that students can sign when they come by to track the storeis open hours.

"Weive been actively discussing whether to keep Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, or Chick-Fil-A open later," said Charles Gray, Chartwellsi director of operations. An impromptu poll during the meeting revealed that 18 of the approximately 22 students wanted to keep Taco Bell open later, rather than Chick-Fil-A, as is the current format. 

"Tomorrow I am meeting with the Food Management Circle about keeping Taco Bell open and closing Chick-Fil-A, and if they go along with it, weill do it," Iula said. "Weid consider keeping Pizza Hut or Taco Bell open, but we need to hear from you."

Chartwells is in the process of remodeling the Moody Towers convenience store, and relocating it inside the main dining room sometime in the next summer. Iula envisions transforming the empty area into a quiet study zone and supplying the convenience store with fast, healthy food, while keeping it open 24 hours. 

Alberto Chapa, Chartwells director for Moody Towers reiterated the point that students need to communicate with Chartwells. 

"I hear nothing. If you (students) would come talk to me, I could probably correct problems right then and there. You just have to let us know," Chapa said.
 

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