There are a wide variety of student opinions regarding desired changes to food services on campus; however many may not realize that NANA may already have some of those changes in the works.

Many students at UAS have suggestions for changes when it comes to dining on campus, regarding such concerns as the variety of food choices, options for vegetarians, vegans as well as those concerned with food allergies, nutritional value, food prices and the limiting regulations against distribution of food items by individuals or groups apart from Food Services.

Chelsey Byington, 21, from Deary, Idaho, a freshman seeking an Associate of Arts degree, feels that there should be a larger variety of food choices offered on campus.

“There’s not a big variety, they don’t change the menu up for the grill a lot,” Byington said. “Change it up a little bit...Give it a little bit of flavor. Maybe do every other week a culture week, where they serve a different culture’s food that way people can get into it.”

Byington is not the only student who feels that food services should offer a greater variety of food choices. Anne Dalmadge, 20, from Boulder, Colo., a sophomore majoring in Elementary Education, feels that the choices available to students are very limited in comparison to previous years.

“There’s not enough change in the type of foods that they serve. Last year, with the grill, they had specific days like ‘wrap days’ and ‘sub days.’ That was a lot better than having everything the same everyday,” Dalmadge said.

John Ames, the General Manager for Food Services at UAS, explains that many new changes and improvements are being considered for the fall and an expansion in the variety of food options is one of them.

“I’ve begun meetings, and will be continuing it next fall, to get students involved with the direction of food services,” Ames said. “As an example we met with the Native American group...to get an idea of some of the things that they would like to see in the menu mix for the cafeteria. I would like to continue that next fall in terms of ethnicities.”

Ames also stated that next fall, food services is going to try to get students, staff and faculty involved by incorporating recipes that they would like to see into the menu.

“If you had ‘Aunt Dorothy’s’ favorite recipe for some sort of dish, then that is something that we would try to incorporate into the menu and produce,” Ames said.

The limited food options for vegetarians, vegans and food allergy considerations are also a concern for many students.

“They don’t have enough vegetarian and vegan choices to be honest,” Byington said. “I think it would be a good idea to get more vegetarian style options besides just the salad bar.”

Ames explained that food services has initiated a marketing program that provides a constant rotation of nonpermanent menu items which would allow for an added entrée item on the hotline or grill.

This program would also include a ‘Grab and Go’ which would provide prepackaged food items such as salads and sandwiches.

“It will enable us to address some of the issues that I’ve heard since I’ve been here such as vegetarian versus vegan and in some regards some of the perhaps, more common food allergies,” Ames said.

Many students, including Anthony Gaussoin, 27, from Juneau, Alaska, a junior majoring in Mathematics, feel that many food choices don’t offer enough nutritional value.

“It’s hard to usually get real healthy stuff to eat,” Gaussoin said. “I like to get a lot of protein, I like to get a lot of vegetables, and I don’t necessarily want that much fat.”

Due to several questions from students inquiring about the nutritional content of food products, a computer, which will be set to a homepage for nutritional questions, will be set up in the Fireweed room.

The homepage will include a location for students, faculty, and staff to ask a qualified, licensed dietician anything relating to dietetics or nutritional value. By providing an email address, individuals will receive a response to their question within 48 hours.

As far as prices are concerned, students in general feel that they too high.

“I understand that food prices are higher here in Juneau than in other places, but I still feel that it’s too high,” Dalmadge explained. “I can go to the store and get the same price for two meals as one meal here.”

Pat Vallejo, a Food Service’s cook for 12 years at UAS, explains that since the switch to NANA Management, the food prices have actually dropped.

Vallejo explained that the prices have dropped for entrees on the hot line, but not on the grill. Vallejo contributes this to the higher cost of buying prepared items in comparison to buying ingredients for meals prepared from scratch.

“On the grill side, you buy a specific item, which is already prepared and ready to go, which evidently costs more,” Vallejo said. 

Though there have been some complaints concerning Food Services, most students agree that the service at the Mourant Cafe is excellent, and the food products from both Spike’s coffee stand and the Bear’s Pantry are satisfactory.

Several students and student organizations have, however, found the University’s contract with Food Services concerning the prohibited distribution of food items from other sources other than Food Services to be limiting. All campus events that involve food must be catered through Food Services.

Carol Comolli, the TRiO Director at UAS, explained that this regulation is constricting to TRiO activities. However, she explained that everything regarding this regulation has been resolved between Food Services and TRiO.

Comolli said that in previous years, TRiO events were held in The Lake Room and the Glacier View Room, which is now under control of Food Services.

One TRiO event is an intercultural potluck where members prepare and bring their cultural dishes with the hope that it will create an atmosphere in which members could talk to each other regarding their various cultural lifestyles.

Comolli feels that to have an event, such as the intercultural potluck, catered defeats the purpose of the event.

“I don’t know how you can cater an intercultural potluck. It makes no sense for TRiO,” Comolli said.

Comolli explained that TRiO has since talked it over with Food Services and UAS and discovered that food can be served within their department. Since TRiO shares space with the Learning Center, they are able to use that space for events.

Comolli believes that these events will possibly have to be eliminated when TRiO moves to the offices in the Mourant building which will not allow departmental space for such events. 

“I can see there point of view if they are going to run a business. They can’t be competing with people bringing free food,” Comolli said. “It’s a little constraining...but we can adapt.”

Ames, though he was not part of the negotiation of the contract, explained that from his perspective, he believes that the main reason behind the contract is for the University to ensure food safety.

“If you have one provider for the service it’s easier for both the contractor and for the university as the entity to be able to ensure good, proper, safe sanitation,” Ames said. “If you have different sources of food coming in and out on an ongoing basis, there are too many opportunities for error.”

The Bear’s Pantry and Spike’s coffee stand are completely run by students employed by Food Services. Food Services offer students the opportunity and ability to work and attend classes at the same time.

Jim Cutillo, 29, a junior studying Outdoor Skills and Leadership, from Boonton, N. J., works in the Mourant Cafe and finds it beneficial as a student to work for Food Services.

“The hours are good. As a student they are very flexible with my schedule,” Cutillo explained. “When I work a shift of more than 5 hours I get a shift meal, and they offer competitive wages.”

In all, NANA is trying to establish communication with the students, faculty and staff on campus in order to provide the best products and service possible.

“I really hope to get, between the meetings and the comment board, enough interaction so that everyone’s as happy as you can possibly be with food,” Ames said. “There’s definitely a need to establish that communication here and that’s what we are trying to do.”

For students wanting to provide Food Services with suggestions a comment board will be put up in the Mourant.