UA offers ways to cut Dining Services' costs

The Undergraduate Assembly unanimously supported "cost-effective" recommendations for the University Dining Services' budget last night at its meeting. Wharton sophomore Dan Debicella, a member of the UA Budget Committee, presented the report containing the recommendations, along with a fact sheet detailing the Dining Services' budget. "This is something that affects 50 percent of the student body," he said. "It's important for everyone." The report advocated four changes in Dining Services: increasing the number of work-study students, seeking corporate sponsorships, reducing redundant advertising expenses and analyzing the usefulness of several lesser known programs. According to Debicella, the first recommendation is the most important. Because unionized Dining Services' workers make almost $3 million in salaries, the UA report advocates the hiring of more work study students, who earn at least $4 less per hour, and placing a hiring freeze on the union workers. Debicella admits that logistical problems with scheduling work-study students might occur when more students are hired. "[But] the cost of scheduling is minimal compared with the savings you'll get," he added. The second recommendation dealt with "monotony breakers" -- specialty nights which feature food from Pizzeria Uno, Nabisco or other companies. These meals currently cost $68,293. To cut costs, the UA report suggests corporate sponsorship in which the companies would receive free publicity in exchange for their specialty meals. The third recommendation details a reduction in advertising expenses. Debicella gave the example of the Hill House Hoagie Bar which advertises in the Hill House Dining Hall itself. "Things like that are just inefficient and should be done away with," he said. The last recommendation asks for the analysis of various programs' usefulness. This includes the "box lunches" program, which, according to Debicella, is unknown to most students. "They should look into it and see if a lot of students use it or if it needs more publicity," he added. UA Chairperson and College junior Seth Hamalian said a report on Residential Living's budget will be released by the end of the year. But other budget reports are not forthcoming. Debicella said his committee requested budgets from the four undergraduate schools, but was turned down by each of them. "I think you can contrast the helpfulness of [Dining Services Director] Bill Canney with the disinterest and cold heartedness of the four undergraduate schools," he said. "I think it's abhorrent that the four schools have withheld their budgets from the most important members of their community -- the students." Budget Committee Chairperson Eric Leathers voiced similar sentiments. "We wanted to give them feedback and attack it from a student body's viewpoint," he said. "But the schools saw fit to call one another and then withhold their budgets from the committee." At last night's meeting the UA also heard reports from the Class Boards and the Social Planning and Events Committee in preparation for its March 20 budget meeting. They also discussed the Commission on Strengthening the Community's recommendation to postpone fraternity and sorority rush to sophomore year. Though the members voted 13-12 to support second semester freshman year rush, they did not reach a final conclusion on the issue and did not vote on whether to send a letter to the Commission detailing their position.