[Parent-Network] FW: Food on campus

Fri Nov 14 14:46:02 PST 2008

Sounds like the students are already on it.   I think we as parents should step back and see how things play out.   I'm happy to hear that the issue is already being addressed.

Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:29:42 -0800From: jeannettebeeger at sbcglobal.netTo: parent-network at willamette.eduSubject: Re: [Parent-Network] FW: Food on campus

I am forwarding an email from a student representative who shows the kids have this under way.  Another terrific example of the quality of Willamette's student government and the excellent working relationship with the administration.   Our kids are fortunate to be experiencing college life in an environment so rich in opportunity to learn and grow on many levels.  I am always impressed with the competency of the student body!  Thanks to Noah for sharing their progress with us:
Ms. Beeger, 

My name is Noah Zaves, and I am a senior here at Willamette. (I'm also friendly with your son, if you're curious.) I'm the Prime Minister of Willamette's House of Hall Representatives (HHR), the campus government. My mother is on the parent listserv, and she thought I'd be interested in this topic. 

I appreciate your faith in the Willamette student leadership to address this issue. I know from experience that Ms. Todd in Res Services does not react well to parents complaining for their kids, since she and the rest of the administration are amazing about letting students take initiative and change policies themselves. (Of course, I understand that parents have the urge to protect their kids, and I was fortunate to have a mother who defended me, tooth and nail, through high school, but at Willamette it's much easier for students to simply address issues themselves.)

In fact, HHR is addressing the issue of food and mealtimes right now. At our meeting last night, we formulated a list of preliminary questions, and Marc Marelich (the director of Bon Appetit) will be attending our hearing next Thursday, to answer our questions and address our concerns, and to work constructively to find an effective solution. We're already planning to discuss Goudy's hours, mean plan options, and food selection issues, and we're writing a campus-wide survey to find out about individual residents' concerns. The survey should be distributed either this weekend or next week. 

If you'd like, please feel free to pass this along to the listserv. My e-mail address is NZaves at willamette.edu, and I'm happy to address parents' questions, both about foodservice and about avenues for student leadership and initiative. If they want more information about HHR, Willamette's campus government, our web site is www.willamette.edu/org/hhr, and it lists all the latest information about HHR's initiatives, resolutions, and upcoming policy decisions. 

Thank you for your time, and have a great afternoon!

Best regards, 
Noah Zaves
HHR Prime Minister
NZaves at willamette.edu
www.willamette.edu/org/hhr --- On Fri, 11/14/08, Jeannette Beeger <jeannettebeeger at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
From: Jeannette Beeger <jeannettebeeger at sbcglobal.net>Subject: Re: [Parent-Network] FW: Food on campusTo: parent-network at willamette.eduDate: Friday, November 14, 2008, 11:51 AM

My personal opinion is that Cheryl Todd has the right idea---concerned students should be their own advocates.  Every challenge our students encounter in college is an opportunity to learn new skills necessary to their maturation. If they don't learn to be their own advocates now, the lesson will be much harder later.To be honest, I'm pretty surprised at complaints about the overall food service.  I have eaten in literally dozens and dozens of college cafeterias across the U.S., and Willamette's has always seemed at the top of the heap.  In the several years we have had a student at Willamette, I've heard many complaints about weight gain but not loss (unless you count the kids I know who skipped meals to catch up on sleep instead,mine included.)  The highest ranking liberal arts college in the country has truly abysmal food---they even acknowledged the fact on our tour---and even there no one has been malnourished or led any kind of revolt, as far as I know.  However, if a sufficient number of kids really are disturbed about this and want to carry the ball on the issue, then I'm willing to bet the administration would be pleased to see them learn to advocate on their own behalf.  One thing I've learned about Willamette is that student engagement and involvement is encouraged, as it's a huge part of the effectiveness of the college experience.Best wishes,Jeannette Beeger--- On Fri, 11/14/08, janet hines <hinesjanet at hotmail.com> wrote:
From: janet hines <hinesjanet at hotmail.com>Subject: [Parent-Network] FW: Food on campusTo: parent-network at willamette.eduDate: Friday, November 14, 2008, 10:45 AM

I'm attaching the email and response I received from Cheryl regarding my concerns.  

Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:56:15 -0800From: ctodd at willamette.eduTo: hinesjanet at hotmail.comCC: mmarelic at willamette.eduSubject: Re: Food on campusHello Janet,All students are invited to talk to a Bon Appetit manager whenever they have food related questions or concerns.  As part of a student's educational experience, we teach them to become an advocate for their own needs.  Our Bon Appetit staff are very receptive to student input and comments and are available at every meal and by appointment.  In addition, there is a ASWU Food Service Committee comprised of staff and students who welcome conversations.  Possibly your son is interested in serving on this Committee, as well.  Please ask him to contact a Bon Appetit manager at his earliest convenience for more information and assistance with his dinner concerns.Best wishes,Cheryljanet hines wrote: 

Dear Cheryl:  I am writing to ask for somebody to address the food plan and quality of the food at Willamette.  My son is a freshman and has lost 10 pounds which he can ill afford since beginning Willamette.  He isn't particularly picky but he describes the food at dinner as being so unappetizing that he eats snacks in his room instead.  He has no complaints about the lunches and says the food quality is quite good.  Is there any way that we could either opt out of the mandatory dinners so that he could use the money to eat something off campus or is there a way to improve the quality of the food?  He is on the highest food plan but still isn't getting adequate nutrition even when he supplements with going off campus for two or so dinners per week which is financially unexpected for us.  Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Janet Hines415 381-3348

Windows Live Hotmail now works up to 70% faster. Sign up today.-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cheryl A. Todd					Director, Residential Services			Willamette UniversitySalem, OR 97301(503) 370-6708	(503) 370-6709 fax				~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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