Olin’s unofficial, FRANKLY student-run news SPEAKING source. volume 6, issue 4 December 2014 FREE, AS IN BEER Dining Hall Food for Thought Mariko Thorbecke and In the survey, several for labor and benefits of the Kris Groth people asked for more trans- staff, sales tax, cleaning, and Contributors parency from the dining hall. serving ware (plates, cups, Change will never happen etc.), among others. This is “The fruit looks like it’s unless we’re all on the same the portion of the budget that going to fall over and die.” page and make realistic de- Dave Nadreau handles. “A large percentage of food mands. I often hear people The remaining $900,000 offered is either pizza or say that the issue is either is spent on overhead costs burgers. Since we are college with the way the dining hall and is handled by the Olin students and not picky 5 year is run or with the way that administration. Costs here olds I feel like there could be Olin’s administration is as- cover heating, cooling, light- way more healthy, interesting signing budgets. But how ing, maintenance, and space options.” “I think the biggest about instead of pointing fin- depreciation. issue is a lack of transparen- gers, we look at the facts and cy. Many people form strong work out reasonable solu- Cost of Food: opinions about getting rid of tions. That’s what engineers The average cost of in- meat or paying for specific do after all, right? We solve gredients per plate is $2.50. meals or that we're just get- problems given a set of con- Contrast this to the $1.70 ting robbed outright without straints. plating cost at Babson, which really knowing any of the The following facts were is due to the larger scale of details about how our money given to the dining hall com- their operation. is actually spent.” “It seems mittee by Dave Nadreau and With a $2.50 plating cost like all I eat is carbs with Joanne Kossuth. per meal, that makes the an- crappy cheese.” “I would re- nual money spent on ingredi- ally like to see more healthy Operating Budget (based ents roughly $650,000. and less processed foods.” on 2012 data, numbers are Side note: For those of Last month the dining ballpark figures): you demanding unlimited hall committee sent out a sur- The total annual cost of meals of exquisite quality, vey on Olin’s dining services operation of the dining hall is why don’t you try feeding and received a wealth of re- $2.3 million. Annual revenue 350 people for 7.5 months on sponses. The takeaway mes- from students is $1.9 million. a food budget of $650,000. sage: nearly 70% of the Olin The remaining $400,000 bill Abandoning the all-you- student body is dissatisfied is footed by Olin. can-eat format for slightly with the current state of our Of the $2.3 million, $1.4 smaller meals that actually dining options. And it shows. million go to direct costs. make you feel good might be At dinner these days, it’s And, no, that doesn’t mean the key. No more crying on not uncommon to overhear $1.4 million pays for in- the toilet after that fried chi- someone saying, “the food is gredients. In addition to in- michanga. Just think about it. much worse this year.” gredients, this portion pays continued on next page Dining Hall Use (from card Now that you have seen an Olin student and do some- swipe data): the data, you may be won- thing! You guys claim to care On average, 600 Babson dering, “So what now?” I about the nutritional value students eat at Olin each have not fixed anything yet, and quality of the food over week. and I need your help to do the quantity, yet the major- An average of 150 Olin so. Sure, as a result of the ity of you prefer the unlim- students eat at Trim per survey, the dining hall has ited, buffet style meal plan. week. agreed to serve less pizza Well this is not feasible. With The net plating cost is and better labelling on food the budgetary restrictions exchanged behind the scenes is now being practiced. But that the school has, it really between the two schools. for real change to happen, boils down to choosing either The Babson-Olin collab- you need to start caring. quantity or quality, and that’s orative dining arrangement is The food that you eat daily the conversation we need to by presidential order and was should energize you and start having. I’m not offering put in place to foster interac- make you feel healthy, and I a solution, but I’m calling on tion between students of the know that I’m not only one you to take up the conversa- two schools, whether or not feeling the opposite when I tion so that we can find one that actually happens. eat at the dining hall. So be together. DiningHere are a few thingsHall: you facilities inDid the cafeteria. AYou soccer or frisbeeKnow? or debate may not know about the caf- long time ago the Midnight club? Ask for breakfast or eteria: Bakery Operation used the lunch to go from the cafete- You can ask for gluten kitchen facilities to bake ria. free bread. Or just don’t massive amounts of good- Olin composts! All post want bread with your grilled ies. Just coordinate with consumer food is composted chicken sandwich? Just ask Dave. Also, throwing a stu- through a third party service. for the chicken. dent event? Ask the cafeteria So don’t throw your leftover Don’t like everything on to special order stuff (Meat food in the trash. the plated meal? Just ask for Club ordered a WHOLE PIG You get 10 guest swipes part of it. last year). per semester! Bring your You can use the kitchen Leaving campus early for friends! FacultyLast month, we didand a ALYSON Staff GOODROW: Marketing Describebots Jobs twist on our regular col- PETER ANTOGNONI: Instruct in SARAH SPENCE ADAMS: Faculty umn. Instead of asking open the Fabrication shops. Member ended questions to students, RAE-ANNE BUTERA: Dean of Stu- OSCAR: Learn, sometimes I we had students submit and dent Life say useful stuff vote for questions that we ALISON BLACK: Assistant Dean ANONYMOUS A: Work asked faculty and staff. Three of Student Life ANONYMOUS B: Admissions questions came out on top. SUSAN JOHANSON: Administra- ANONYMOUS C: Teach You will find the responses tive support to Dean of Ad- ANONYMOUS D: (not specified) to these questions in articles mission and Admission of- titled "Least Favorite Part of fice in general A special thank you to our Olin," "What You Do Satur- JESSICA TOWNSEND: Associate Faculty and Staff contribu- day Nights," and "Coolest Dean of Curriculum and Ac- tors for taking the time to Project You've Done." ademic Programs answer these questions, and First however, we asked: MICHELLE DAVIS: Marketing a super special thanks for all What do you do at Olin? DREW: Muck about with ro- you do beyond that. LeastThe open ended Favoritequestion verse, especially inPart terms of withof mildly Olinincompatible for faculty and staff that re- race and ethnicity. views thinking the other is ceived the most student votes RAE-ANNE BUTERA: I wish we wrong, unintelligent, and was: What is your least fa- had a snack bar/coffee shop. being intentionally difficult. vorite part of Olin? Maybe we should start one in Meanwhile, we aren't aware OSL.... Would more students of the influence our own PETER ANTOGNONI: The com- come up to OSL just to hang blind spots have on our ac- mute (2.5 hr./day) out if we did? tions, and the impact that we SUSAN JOHANSON: The lack of OSCAR: The lack of diversity have on others based on our an ombudsman for staff and and will to engage this. assumptions. faculty. ANONYMOUS A: People abusing ANONYMOUS C: When students JESSICA TOWNSEND: We're all too "working from home" remember to criticize parts busy all the time. ANONYMOUS B: Lack of em- of a course but forget to men- DREW: There are too many pathy or understanding of tion the good parts (on course things to do, and not enough one another's viewpoints. evaluations, for example) time. So many disagreements or ANONYMOUS D: Getting to ALISON BLACK: I wish the Olin struggles at Olin (and in the know students personally. community was more di- world) arise from two people Y'all's interesting. WhatThe second most You popular sleepovers,Do etc.Saturdayten to music Nights or the radio. Open Ended Question was: PETER ANTOGNONI: I gather with JESSICA TOWNSEND: Cooking What do you do on Saturday friends and family to break dinner with friends nights? bread, talk, watch content in ALISON BLACK: I'm usually on our family projector room my couch reading, watching ALYSON GOODROW: Most re- with the wood stove going ( TV, and recovering from a cently, watch episode after or if left to myself just tinker long run/walk. episode after episode after in my machine shop :<) OSCAR: Sleep episode of Homeland... or SARAH SPENCE ADAMS: Sleep ANONYMOUS A: Out for dinner, go out for dinner/drinks with SUSAN JOHANSON: Make and show, movie friends, go on a date with share supper and the evening For the final question and my hubby, watch a movie, with my husband, take a late answers, see the back page of host 7 and 9 year olds for walk with our dog, read, lis- this issue.