SFU Dining Services earns national recognition

SFU Dining Services was one of the three post-secondary institutions, alongside the University of Winnipeg and Dalhousie University, to receive an honorable mention in the 2013 Quality and Productivity Awards this month from The Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO).

The selection criteria for the reward focused on five different categories: quality of outcomes and results, measurable productivity of the product, originality of project, portability to other institutions, and the involvement of the community and stakeholders.

The project which was recognized, entitled “Food 2.0,” was established after a long consultation with students, faculty, and staff to redesign its campus dining services program with the motto of “students’ needs first.” The plan has successfully increased student satisfaction from 44 per cent to 74 per cent without raising prices.

The changes includes the first 24-hour dining hall in Canada; an all-you-care-to-eat meal plan that replaced a declining balance system; a space for students to cook for themselves; and, most importantly, the new prompt-to feedback system “Txt & Tell.”

This system will enable students to text about their dining experience. Those texts are then uploaded to large digital screens that notify Dining Services staff in real time. One of the largest changes is that the Dining Hall is now open to anyone on campus, not just students in residence.

“In the past, the dining hall was seen as a meal-plan only place for those in residence.” explained Kelly Dooley, Manager, Student Experiences at Dining Services. “However, with its new redesign of being open for 24 hours and with its affordable value, it has [transformed] into a place where students, faculty, and staff can socialize, study, or even be entertained.”

“The Dining Hall tailors to everyone’s schedule and also those who have dietary restrictions. There are staff on hand to assist diners if they have questions or concerns. It’s all about convenience,” said Dan Traviss, Manager, Dining Services.

In addition to the dining hall, the My Pantry service and Mackenzie Cafe have also been improved. My Pantry allows students to cook their own meals, and is especially popular among those who are looking to cook up something special or who have dietary restrictions.

“Notably, another big turnaround is the Mackenzie Cafe. We have added a selection of international food and an all-day breakfast menu which students love,” explained Travis. Combined, these changes have completely redesigned the Burnaby campus dining program, and students and staff point to the vast number of options available as the greatest success.

“The biggest change has been the increase in variety and flexibility of the meal plan.” Dooley explained. “In the past, there was an issue with the declining balance of the meal plan and students would run out of money before the semester ended. However, nowadays, students can pay at the beginning of the semester and will have access to meals until the exam period.”

In an interview with SFU News, Mark McLaughlin, Executive Director, Ancillary Services, said that Dining Services “is busy planning for the fall semester and soon hopes to make an announcement that will have an immediate positive impact not only at SFU, but at other campuses right across the country.”