Sodexho, sorry, Sodexo is here to stay, again, of course.
Some of us may remember when we heard this news for the first time back in 2005. At that time, it was a surprise that the College was keeping Sodexo, but this time, no one should be shocked.
The infamous food provider is a staple here and probably will be for a long, long time.
Sodexo is probably about par for the course in terms of food providers on college campuses. And besides that, with the College in the financial position it's currently in, it's unlikely we'd be able to replace Sodexo with any company that's significantly better without breaking the bank.
What happens a year or two from now when whatever company Sodexo is replaced by gets comfortable and becomes, in essence, Sodexo part two?
That's not to say we should be complacent. If you find hair in the mac and cheese or a dirty fork or undercooked meat, by all means, tell a manager. Many have already expressed how much they hate Trayless Tuesdays. Fine, then tell someone.
It's probably more productive in the long run to deal with Sodexo, whom we are all already familiar with, than go through the same old cycle of love and hate with a new, and possibly more expensive, food service provider.
If the College was going to spend the money on new dining services, it would be more useful to students if it brought in someone to compete with Sodexo, rather than simply replaced Sodexo.
Other colleges and universities, like Rutgers, have Sodexo, but supplement it with other food options like on-campus take out.
An option like that offers some variety for students and some competition for Sodexo, perhaps pushing it to work harder for students' money. As things stand now, they know every student at the College will have to pay them for food, whether they want to or not. Forcing them to work for those customers would do a lot more for the quality of food here than kicking them out and bringing in Sodexo part two.
