Apparently making a points spreadsheet gives me a ticket to join the Wesleying staff. Anyways, let’s get to it.
I just got word from one of the women working at late night that Wendy, of Summerfields fame, lost her position as cashier at Usdan today.
This doesn’t mean she’s been fired, just that someone else with more seniority wanted her job, and bumped her. Technically, this is all following union rules about seniority, and how jobs are assigned, but it seems like things are generally going pretty shitty for Wesleyan dining workers these days. I don’t know if Wendy’s going to get another cashier job, or what’s going to happen, but let’s raise some hell! Call people! Email people! Email Michael Roth! Tell them that what Bon Appetit is doing is really shitty, and we’re not going to stand for it!
List of (my) complaints (so far):
- Lines.
- Traffic Flow. (this one’s not totally BA’s fault, because they didn’t design the building, but it’s still godawful)
- Limited drink options. (they claim that they’re in the process of getting newer and better machines)
- Late night. This one gets a whole section.
- There are about half as many options as at Summerfields. Fries and Sweet Potato Fries are the only vegetarian options.
- There’s no place to sit down while you wait for your order, because if you go into the main seating area, the doors close behind you and you can’t hear your order.
- There’s no way to re-enter to get refills on your drink or forgotten condiments or anything
- There’s no menu. Seriously, guys.
- It’s sort of ridiculous that you have to bring your order directly to the cook, although they claim that they’re going to get a printer for the kitchen like they had at Summerfields, so that you don’t have to do this anymore.
EDIT: additions to the list
- Ice cream machines: they really should be with the desserts, not in the already over-crowded drink area. I mentioned this to one of the managers, and he said that they couldn’t move it because it required a high-amp electrical plug and a water line. Granted, these are not trivial things to move, but the building’s still under construction, I imagine that it wouldn’t be impossible to do.
- Drinks: Why do they have the cups arranged so that you have to walk past the drinks, get a cup, turn around, get your drink, and turn around again to leave?
The same woman I talked to about Wendy (she used to wear a hat with a fan on it at Summerfields late night) said that we should all write comment cards urging them to move late night back to Summerfields. The comment card boards are across the hall from the lunchtime cash registers.
People to complain to:
dining_comments@wesleyan.edu
Delmar Crim
Resident District Manager for Bon Appetit
860-685-3060
delmar.crim@cafebonappetit.com
Dean Rick Culliton
Dean of Campus Programs/
University Center Director
860-685-2627
rculliton@wesleyan.edu
Dean Mike Whaley
Dean of Student Services
Interim Dean of the College
860-685-3160
mwhaley@wesleyan.edu
matt – you’re awesome, yay :D
matt – you’re awesome, yay :D
Kate-I agree with what you’re saying about how it’s not all BA’s fault; that’s one of the reasons I put the two Deans on the list too. Anonymous-That was one of the most suprising parts about the points spreadsheet for me, how little money per day students had, especially on the plans with 5 and 8 meals. I know that last year there was some process with the financial aid office where financial aid students who ran out of points could get like an extra 100 points or something for free.
Kate-
I agree with what you’re saying about how it’s not all BA’s fault; that’s one of the reasons I put the two Deans on the list too.
Anonymous-
That was one of the most suprising parts about the points spreadsheet for me, how little money per day students had, especially on the plans with 5 and 8 meals. I know that last year there was some process with the financial aid office where financial aid students who ran out of points could get like an extra 100 points or something for free.
I’m a low income student, and these prices are really worrying me. I have to eat often in order to regulate my blood sugar, so if I can’t find a job (though I wish I didn’t have to work in the first place with all the schoolwork I have), it’s going to be such a burden on my family. Especially when it comes time to buy my plane ticket home.It’s difficult budgeting my points when, according to the spreadsheet, I can only use about 6.25 a day. Lunch at Summerfields costs 7-something, and I need to buy other essentials at the (also overpriced) WesShop.
I’m a low income student, and these prices are really worrying me. I have to eat often in order to regulate my blood sugar, so if I can’t find a job (though I wish I didn’t have to work in the first place with all the schoolwork I have), it’s going to be such a burden on my family. Especially when it comes time to buy my plane ticket home.
It’s difficult budgeting my points when, according to the spreadsheet, I can only use about 6.25 a day. Lunch at Summerfields costs 7-something, and I need to buy other essentials at the (also overpriced) WesShop.
Welcome to the dark side of unions: The fact that “seniority” allows incompetent workers to bump better workers out of their jobs.You rally for unions and worker rights, you get to take the good with the bad.
Welcome to the dark side of unions: The fact that “seniority” allows incompetent workers to bump better workers out of their jobs.
You rally for unions and worker rights, you get to take the good with the bad.
While I agree with all this, as probably everyone does, and am behind most of the legitimate complaints about BA, I don’t understand how lines/traffic flow are BA’s fault at all; they didn’t design the building, not stipulate that it be the only main dining hall on campus, did they?Also, I have no idea how those two problems could possibly be remedied, at least not this year- they can’t just make there be fewer people there trying to eat lunch at 1pm. So yes, while we should make sure the university is aware of those concerns, to deal with them in future times, what could they do now?I wholeheartedly support complaining about the lack of menus, and the fact that the campus dining webpage no longer contains any useful information about campus dining locations, hours and schedules. It might reduce the lines a little if students could see that there were other options.
While I agree with all this, as probably everyone does, and am behind most of the legitimate complaints about BA, I don’t understand how lines/traffic flow are BA’s fault at all; they didn’t design the building, not stipulate that it be the only main dining hall on campus, did they?
Also, I have no idea how those two problems could possibly be remedied, at least not this year- they can’t just make there be fewer people there trying to eat lunch at 1pm. So yes, while we should make sure the university is aware of those concerns, to deal with them in future times, what could they do now?
I wholeheartedly support complaining about the lack of menus, and the fact that the campus dining webpage no longer contains any useful information about campus dining locations, hours and schedules. It might reduce the lines a little if students could see that there were other options.
Why will it help to complain to Bon Appetit or the administration about Wendy’s treatment? They don’t have control over the union rules.
Why will it help to complain to Bon Appetit or the administration about Wendy’s treatment? They don’t have control over the union rules.
awesome post, matt!
awesome post, matt!
I get the feeling that nobody in the administration knows that we love Wendy (and all those other familiar faces). This is vitally important to communicate to them:It’s not just that we feel she deserves job security (she does), but we love her, and she’s as much a part of our non-academic life on campus as our friends and parties and our various student activities and our blogs.I feel like if the administration knew how much Dave and Wendy and Mocon Grandma and all the dining service workers meant to us on a personal level, they’d treat the issue much more seriously.
I get the feeling that nobody in the administration knows that we love Wendy (and all those other familiar faces). This is vitally important to communicate to them:
It’s not just that we feel she deserves job security (she does), but we love her, and she’s as much a part of our non-academic life on campus as our friends and parties and our various student activities and our blogs.
I feel like if the administration knew how much Dave and Wendy and Mocon Grandma and all the dining service workers meant to us on a personal level, they’d treat the issue much more seriously.
don’t forget! no more ice cream (just soft serve), and the salad bar is crap!
don’t forget! no more ice cream (just soft serve), and the salad bar is crap!
I’m surprised not as many people are complaining about the a la carte dining. If you’re on the 5 or 8 meal plan (all freshmen and sophomores), you’re essentially limited to one item and a drink at lunch if you want to have enough points for the semester. The idea of a la carte in the main dining hall is ridiculous to begin with, but it’s made even harder with everything excessively overpriced ($6.50 sandwiches, $5 burgers, $6 pasta). It’s a money making scheme and not remotely in the interest of the students, who are now forced to either skip meals or buy more points.
I’m surprised not as many people are complaining about the a la carte dining. If you’re on the 5 or 8 meal plan (all freshmen and sophomores), you’re essentially limited to one item and a drink at lunch if you want to have enough points for the semester. The idea of a la carte in the main dining hall is ridiculous to begin with, but it’s made even harder with everything excessively overpriced ($6.50 sandwiches, $5 burgers, $6 pasta). It’s a money making scheme and not remotely in the interest of the students, who are now forced to either skip meals or buy more points.