With the vote of no confidence in progress, the United Student Government’s (USG) Student Concerns Committee addressed another issue Monday regarding Aramark to-go meals.
The committee sent an email to Aramark, the University’s food service, stating that they believe to-go lunches should use boxes with separate compartments rather than the ones they are using now. Aramark responded to this message, making the change and thanking USG for voicing their concerns.
This matter only led USG Vice President Andrew LeDonne to explain what Aramark suggests to change in the entire overall concept of to-go meals.
“One of the topics that Aramark brought up to us at the Food Service Committee meeting is that they want to go to something where you just go and it’s premade,” LeDonne said. “We have definitely voiced our opinion against that.”
This concept means that instead of grabbing a box and deciding your meal in the dining hall, Aramark will instead provide a pre-made meal consisting of a starch, fruits and vegetables, and whatever else they decide for that day. The meal is already in a bag or container, and the student will just pick it up and leave.
Several members spoke out about this idea, concerned for the future of food services. LeDonne, currently a senior, will no longer be a part of USG after this semester and expressed what he hopes to see out of the next group regarding meals to go.
“At our next meeting, if there is one, we will find out more and that will be on next year’s USG to do their best, so that this actually does not happen,” LeDonne said.
USG is in the process of elections for next year’s members. Elections started Monday and continue throughout the week. The applications are now all online, instead of a paper form.
LeDonne also set aside some time to discuss their meeting with President Paul Hennigan that is arranged to take place next Monday. Hennigan asked to meet with USG to discuss and critique the University’s Strategic Plan, asking members to voice their opinions on the drafted document. Members since have looked over the document in order to prepare for the meeting and have established some concepts they will talk about concerning future plans about what the University strives to accomplish.
USG President Julian Singleton was not in attendance to speak about it Monday, but voiced suggestions for how to approach and consider the Strategic Plan at the previous meeting.
“’How?’ is the big question. Here is your goal, but how are you going to do it as specifically compared to the faculty and staff?” Singleton said.
Aside from preparing for this meeting, USG continues to receive reallocation requests from clubs, discussing Theater Club’s desire to move funds on Monday. Members will be discussing another request at next week’s meeting, according to Treasurer Thaddeus Covaleski.
The Theater Club requested to transfer $136 they had left over from T-shirt purchases to the annual COPA Prom.
“They have been able to cover almost all of the costs of the COPA Prom with the original allocation we gave them for that,” Covaleski said. “That $136 is just in case there is any last-minute spending they have to do or in case they have to cover any unexpected taxes the day of the event. This should be a successful event for them.”
