If the Latino Student Union was forced to order food for a cultural dinner from Taco Bell, group President Monica Cevallos said it would be an embarrassment.
But Cevallos and students in other cultural groups on the campus fear that a tightening of university policies about catering and food services could force them into situations where an elegant dinner could become fast-food catered.
Starting next semester, Stamp Student Union officials are expected to enforce its policy that requires university groups to use food court restaurants or university catering for any event held in the building. But group leaders say it’s not only more expensive than contracting outside vendors, but it demeans the authenticity of their events.
“They’re assuming the tacos they sell covers all Latin food, and it doesn’t,” Cevallos said. “Everyone would make fun of us.”
Groups are primarily encouraged to use vendors in the food court, which have exclusive rights to be the first to cater events in the Student Union, said Steve Gnadt, associate director of the Student Union. Food for events in the Grand or Colony ballrooms must be provided by the university’s in-house caterer, run by Dining Services.
The policy was supposed to be enforced this semester, but an uproar from student groups prompted officials to delay it until next semester. The new policy will be finalized before the student groups request next semester’s funding from the Student Government Association, Gnadt said, allowing more time to incorporate anticipated food costs into their budgets.
If groups want a specific type of food at their events that cannot be provided by the food court restaurants, they are referred to the university’s catering service. They bring in a recipe and Yves Pelletier, catering sales manager, makes samples prior to the events.
“He works very closely with the students and he will provide ethnic food in their budget,” said Pat Higgins, Dining Services director. But some cultural groups said going through the catering service can exceed their budgets, because the SGA does not provide money for food. Instead, groups rely on fund-raising and club fees.
When Hillel hosted a Shabbat dinner for more than 1,000 this semester in the Reckord Armory, Hillel Director Ari Israel said it would have cost him three times as much to use Dining Services’ catering rather than hire an outside vendor. The group paid $11 per person, but Israel said he struggled to get permission to use the outside vendor.
He talked to Dining Services officials and administrators and got approval to have the event catered by a business in Baltimore, after receiving a health clearance from Prince George’s County Health Department.
Hillel isn’t the only group that has had problems planning events with Dining Services, which has the first rights to cater events that happen anywhere on the campus. Smaller campus groups with smaller budgets also go through Dining Services when they want food at their events.
“I think it’s ridiculous that you have to go through Dining Services first,” said Raheem Dawodu Jr., president of the campus chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who is planning an event for the Black Student Union. “I just think people should have the right to go ahead to another provider first.”
He said the group is choosing to hold its event next semester in Nyumburu Cultural Center to escape the Student Union requirements.
“It’s just a pain,” said Natalie Chin, president of the Asian American Student Union. “Obviously, I think it is more convenient and it costs less to go off campus somewhere. How can you showcase your culture if you can’t get authentic food?”
But the policy against outside vendors is for health reasons, Gnadt said. If students or the caterers don’t prepare the food correctly, it could lead to health violations that could fall on the university.
“It is no way in our mission to make a profit,” he said.
Gnadt said the Student Union operates through student fees, and any revenue goes to pay for utilities and services in the Student Union.
To bring in an off-campus caterer, groups must supply a copy of the caterer’s health insurance license.
The problem boils down to a conflict between authenticity and funding, some groups said. It is more convenient for them to use outside means to get authentic food, but they don’t have the money to go through the university first.
“The truth is, I don’t know how much we can do,” Chin said. “I think an option can be is to figure out how we can get more money for food, but I don’t think it’s going to change.”
