University Daily Kansan, March 11, 1981
Page 3
Others upset with dorm food
By KATHY MAAG Staff Reporter
Since the release of three women form their residence hall contracts last month, two more residents have asked for housing and a director, director of housing said yesterday.
The housing office still does not plan to offer room-only housing contracts next year.
The residents are deciding whether they would save money if released from their food contracts, according to Wilson. No action has been taken.
Three Lewis Hall residents were released from their food contracts in February after complaining about the quality of meat served. The women suggested that the housing office allow residents to buy their own food.
Debi Hartman, Derby freshman,
said, "If students don't eat the food,
then they shouldn't have to pay for it."
Wilson said high cost was the biggest disadvantage of an optional food contract.
"We've considered options many
times, but when we put the whole package together, we found a better value with the way it is now." Wilson advised that our rates down and our services up.
AN OPTIONAL FOOD contract system would not be advantageous to the greatest number of students, he said.
Lenoir Edkahl, KU food director, said that built-in costs prohibited a separate food contract.
"It takes just so many people to operate a cafeteria," she said. "It doesn't matter whether you have 100 or 300 students eating.
"You need volume in food service. It's the built-in costs you can't change."
LABOR AND UTILITY costs would be the same no matter how many students ate, Ekdahl said. Possible ticket abuse would complicate the issue.
"I can't see any advantages in optional food services for us in food service," she said.
KU hall residents have mixed feelings about a separate food contract.
"If they had optional food contracts, it would make living in the dorsas not so bad," said Dave Cook, Kansas City, Kan., junior, who lives in McColum Hall. "It would probably cost more, but it would be worth it."
"I've heard kids talk about it and wish they would change it."
STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE a choice, according to Maureen Madigan, Northbrook. III, sophomore, who lives in Gertrude Sellars Pearson Hall.
"I'd rather go to a grocery store and buy something I can eat, instead of going down to the cafeteria and not eating," she said. "I end up spending money now because I go out to eat a lot and pay a dorm food contract."
But Stephanie Albright, Denver freshman, said the present contract was adequate.
"It seems silly not to get a food contract, because it's much simpler the way it is," said Albright, who also lives in GSP.
"It would cost so much to eat out and it's fairly cheap to eat in the cafeteria."
Big 8 schools' food contracts similar
KU's room and board policy follows the trend of the other Big Eight schools.
A check yesterday showed only one school with an optional food contract for all hall residents, and two schools with a limited optional food contract.
The other five universities argue vehemently against an optional food plan, citing increased costs, planning a meal ticket, abuse as disadvantages.
Oklahoma State University has several options for its 7,900 hall residents. According to Jean Holland, associate director of university food services, students can contract for a 15-min meal, a 30-min plan or a room only.
SURVEYAND A student committee showed students favored the options, as well. The program is non-profit
"We don't make money off of it." Holland said. "But it's a service to the
students. It's what they want and that's what we're here for."
At Oklahoma State, 7,000 hall residents contracted for room and board and 500 for the room-only plan.
The University of Oklahoma offers a similar optional food plan, but in only one of seven halls.
"Students who don't want a meal ticket can live there," Lynette Thomas, housing office reservationist, said.
OU HALL RESIDENTS with room-only contracts pay $460 a year, while room and board contract residents pay from $1,240 to $1,530, depending on the hall. Students save $780 to $1,070 if they supply their own food.
Iowa State University offers the option of food-only contracts to graduate students, but not to undergraduate students.
"We've not been overly enthused with an optional food plan," Dick McFarlin,
manager of administrative services,
said. "A 'no-food plan' advocates
sanitize and fire safety problems by
providing an educational kitchen to cook
in their rooms.
In addition to KU the University of Colorado, the University of Nebraska, Kansas State University and the University of Missouri offer only combined room and board contracts to their residents.
"It wouldn't be financially feasible for us to offer that (room-only contracts)." Deborah Lyon, Nebraska's supervisor of housing student accounts, said.
The K-State director of housing agreed.
"The purpose of on-campus housing is to provide a total housing package," Thomas J. Frith, housing director, said. "What we would have to charge for room only would not be economically advantageous."
On the Record
Lawrence police are investigating a burglar Monday in the 1000 block of Delaware St. Thieves took a washing machine, valued at $40; a dryer, valued at $20; a stove system, valued at $400 and 10 cases of canned food, valued at $50.
POLICE ALSO ARE investigating a
burgary Friday of a car parked at Gammon's, 160 W. 32rd St. The thief took a stereo system, valued at $330 and a radar detector, valued at $130.
KU POLICE said yesterday that the staff of Gertrude Sellaris Pearson Hall reported the theft of $170 from an office.
KU POLICE ARE ALSO investigating the theft of a ring from the Satellite Union Bookstore. The ring, a 10 caret gold men's class ring, valued at $225, was taken from a display in the bookstore.
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