The catering services of an institution are responsible for providing a satisfactory dining experience for all attendees. Multiple factors have to be considered when representatives source a new food vendor.
University of North Georgia Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, Stephanie Nakamura, shared that all vendors must go through a public bidding pool and selection process that is referred to as the “seven stages of procurement,” a system set up by the Georgia Department of Administrative Services for when any state entity identifies a need for goods or services.
After going through the process, which consists of the submission of basic documents all the way to a final contract, the vendors must be graded by what Nakamura and Jason Matt, UNG’s Chief Operating Officer, refer to as the “Gainesville Dining Committee,” an anonymous group of faculty members and student engagement.
Unfortunately, this process has left some dissatisfied with the current dining service of Aramark: the newly instated vendor that came with a matching price tag on its services.
Geeson Senat, a UNG graduate, raised concerns as a student about the strict confidentiality surrounding the Gainesville Dining Committee meetings.
“I feel that it is disingenuous as there is a committee of people that we are not allowed to know nor question despite making decisions on the behalf of students. I do not believe their decisions are representative of what the students want.” – Geeson Senat, UNG Graduate
“The student body was told at an SGA meeting that we cannot know who the committee members are nor what the contents of their meetings are as that is also confidential,” Senat said.
Despite student concerns being addressed, such as the reinstatement of the Chick-Fil-A vendor, Senat thought that the prices charged by Aramark compared to other food options surrounding the campus are not satisfactory when the process is removed from the common students’ hands.
Leah Howells, a student at the University of Central Florida, voiced similar concerns over Aramark. She describes the food quality as “fine,” but she thinks that the prices are raised by the brand’s influence rather than the quality of the catering itself.
Aramark representatives have been contacted for their input but have yet to comment on the subject.
