By Farris Willingham, Editor-in-Chief
One student senator is advocating for student voices as OCU Dining officials plan to expand the university’s food services.
OCU Dining is the university’s branch of Sodexo, a national catering service.
University officials plan to partner with Sodexo to reformat the BLUEtique, the university’s former resale shop, and turn it into a restaurant. A contract between the two entities is not finalized.
Sen. Anthony England (senior-at-large) authored Senate Resolution 10, which is designed to solidify student input in the creation of the university’s new eatery.
Administrators and officials discussed ideas and proposals outside the student body’s knowledge, England said.
“This (resolution) brings to light a lot of information that isn’t known and helps insure that students will have a voice in this third eating venue,” he said. “All parties have promised that, but this resolution will formalize it and make the process a lot more visible.”
Senate Resolution 10 requests:
– no increase in the cost of meal plans to fund any subsequent investments in the eatery,
– if the restaurant’s investment requires more funding from meal plans, then new ones will be created,
– the establishment of a formal student board of directors, where students will discuss ideas for the new restaurant,
– the university to review the final contract before proposals are completed, and
– a referendum be put on a ballot for the student body to vote on the aforementioned requests.
The referendum is at the discretion of the executive branch of Student Government Association, England said.
SGA President Emma Velez may sign the resolution, decline signing it and allow it to pass automatically in seven days or veto it, which will allow senators to discuss the resolution again.
If approved, SGA members will advocate for the resolution to administrators.
A student board of directors exists, but attendance fluctuates, he said.
“It’s faded in and out of use,” England said.
Senators guarantee in the resolution that students will meet because the board member’s will be required to submit their minutes to an administrator, he said.
The resolution is inaccurate, said Kelli Keegan, director of food service, adding that some of the background information about the restaurant proposals is erroneous.
“If successful, this investment will be amortized over several years by payments made by the university,” the resolution reads.
That’s incorrect, Keegan said.
“The university will not make payments for the investment,” she said.
England listed lawsuits in the resolution that involved Sodexo, but they weren’t presented in favor of the corporation, Keegan said.
“All those lawsuits have been filed and settled in Sodexo’s behalf,” she said.
The lawsuit settlements were mentioned to create a broader frame of reference in regard to Sodexo and the need to guarantee student advocacy, Sen. England said.
Keegan said she distinguishes OCU Dining from Sodexo’ regardless of Sodexo’s history.
“We definitely believe in having everything to do with the students,” she said. “Most of our upgrades are because of student requests.
“Sodexo writes a check, but we are OCUDining.”
England disapproved of the restaurant proposition when he first heard about it, but opened up to the idea after discussions with Kelli Keegan, director of food service.
“A lot of people have the idea that Sodexo has a monopoly over campus,” he said.
Sodexo won its catering contract with the university in a bidding process, England said.
“It was completely fair,” he said. “Their monopoly power only goes so far as the first right of refusal.”
The contract grants OCU Dining officials the first right to refusal, which entails they are allowed to deny university organization from outsourcing for catering services.
“Kelli Keegan is really flexible with that,” England said. “They understand what’s easier for organizations and want to facilitate that.
“They’ve done a lot of good for student organizations on campus, and I think this third eating venue will continue that.”
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