FACE Meeting Attracts 100 Participants

By Rupsha Basu

News Editor

More than 100 students attended yesterday's (Nov. 6) Food Advisory Committee Emory (FACE) meeting as they discussed Sodexo workers' rights, suggestions for food improvements in Dobbs Market and Cox Hall and food sustainability efforts.

Every month, FACE invites students and Emory Dining staff to a town hall-style meeting in Winship Ballroom, where dinner is served and attendees can air concerns about anything and everything related to food at Emory.

During yesterday's meeting, students raised a number of comments and concerns while eating a buffet arranged by Emory Catering.

The meeting lasted about 45 minutes and students were able to take leftover food home in to-go boxes.

FACE Co-Chairs College senior Karoline Porcello, College junior Molly Talman and FACE Board Members assigned to different areas of campus dining took notes of the suggestions made during the meeting.

College sophomore and FACE Cox Hall Representative Elizabeth Hibbler announced at the beginning of the meeting that the salad bar at Cox would continue pricing by ounce.

She added that Pasta John's restaurant will now be consistently serving gluten-free pasta and will also be looking into serving macaroni and cheese.

College junior and FACE Vice President of Sustainability Hannah Dugoni introduced a joint initiative between Emory Dining and the Office of Sustainability that would allow students to request boxes of fruits and vegetables to be picked up on Tuesday's weekly Farmers Market.

Porcello and Talman also encouraged students to write on comment cards placed in the center of their tables, particularly about Eagle Convenience and Subs, a new on-campus convenience store in the Dobbs University Center (DUC).

During the meeting, Porcello updated attendees about Emory Dining's considerations when its 10-year Sodexo contract expires in the spring.

She said they will be receiving bids from food service providers in December and January, and the decision whether to stick with Sodexo or switch providers will be made in March.

According to USA Today, Sodexo is the 14th largest employer in the world with around 380,000 employees and provides food for 34,000 sites in 80 countries around the world.

Many students added their thoughts into the discussion surrounding the Sodexo contract.

College junior Raissa Mutuyimana said she had never had a negative experience with a Sodexo staff worker and stressed that she wanted to ensure that Sodexo provided sufficient workers' rights. In spring 2011, members of the group Students and Workers in Solidarity (SWS) held a widely-covered protest against Sodexo at Emory for alleged mistreatment of its workers.

Resident District Manager Todd Schram, who oversees Sodexo services, agreed.

"There have been a lot of changes in the last couple of years, and change is never easy," Schram said. "We have a very good relationship with our staff."

He added that there are always issues when there is authority involved, but Sodexo maintains a promise of respect and fair treatment.

Mutuyimana then asked whether Sodexo workers had opportunities for advancement, which Schram also addressed.

"I would ask you to be a little open about that," Schram said. "We're always looking to promote within." He added that they always look within first, but it depends on the position.

Another student asked about employment benefits for Sodexo workers.

"We're aligned with Emory in terms of wages and benefits," Schram responded, adding that the standard minimum wage for Sodexo workers at Emory is $11.85.

Porcello also asked the attendees what was one thing they would change about dining at Emory, eliciting several student responses.

Some were concerned about accessibility and the variety of food options on campus.

College junior Amelia Sims requested shrimp at the Cox salad bar.

Michael Sacks ('14C) requested a slurpee machine in Cox, which many students seconded.

Many students had suggestions involving the Dobbs Market in the DUC, including more breakfast options at LateNight, more seasoning in the food, cleaner dishes and better staffing on the weekends.

College sophomore Alex Lipow, who attended the FACE meeting for the first time, said he came to voice his concerns about the gluten-free options.

He told FACE that the gluten-free station in the DUC is often empty on the weekends.

Other students had concerns about the pricing of food on campus.

College junior Andrea Gamboa asked whether the Freshens station at Cox could have lower prices, citing rice bowls, which are around $7, as an expensive example.

Porcello and Emory Dining Retail Director Andy Gaudiano responded by saying that this was not possible because the restaurants in Cox use franchise pricing, which cannot be changed specifically for the stations at Emory.

Manager of Dining Operations and Sustainability Chad Sunstein added that there is a tradeoff between prices and sustainability. For example, he said, all the chicken served on campus cannot be 100 percent organic because it would be extremely expensive.

Hibbler raised concerns about steep charges at Highland Bakery for food add-ons or ingredient replacements.

She suggested a punch-card system, where a student can receive a free food item after receiving a certain number of punches on their card.

– By Rupsha Basu, News Editor

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