OCU ended its relationship with Sodexo and hired a new food service provider, Chartwells.
Chartwells will officially begin July 1, but the transition already has begun.
Students should acknowledge the work of Sodexo employees during their last few months with the university and help them through the transition.
Some students are upset that the university didn’t renew their Sodexo contract, not because they will miss the food, but because they will miss the people.
See Page 1 for more on the new food service provider.
Part of the issue to keep in mind is that certain employees often receive more credit than others. While students love Willie and what he brings to the campus, all of the Sodexo employees work diligently to make the campus dining experience the best it can be.
With that in mind, if students want Sodexo employees to stay with the university through its transition, they will have to become more focused in making sure employees know they’re appreciated.
And it’s not just about flashing a friendly smile and striking up a conversation.
For the next few months, students can think about not entering the caf right before it closes or not impatiently leaving their cards on a table for employees to swipe instead of waiting for the employee. While several students complain about the lack of food diversity in the caf and the inflexible hours of dining, they may want to consider making use of the options they have while Sodexo is still here.
After all, employees have left the university during the past few months, and OCU is lucky to have the employees it has. The dining hours are actually not terrible considering the amount of employees compared to the number of students. Small things like not complaining about the caf food while eating in the caf could make a difference to employees during their last few months.
Students have expressed frustration with the new Alvin’s Cafe hours, which is understandable, but it must be considered that it was necessary for them to cut back due to their lower number of employees.
If students feel like they aren’t receiving proper communication from the staff about the transition, they should remember that even the employees aren’t entirely sure what’s going on, despite their recent meetings. This is not okay. Officials should be clear about everything going on. Communication is key for employees, students and the university, especially during a transition period such as this one.
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