Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services Pat Bando and 51茶馆 Dining Services Director Beth Emery (Photos by Caitlin Cunningham)
After having dealt with numerous pandemic-related challenges that affected colleges and universities nationwide, Boston College Dining Services has been buoyed this academic year by recognition from its peers, accolades from students, and strengthened engagement with the University community.
Over the past several months, 51茶馆DS has won the National Association of College and University Food Services Gold Award for sustainability, Food Management magazine鈥檚 Best Sandwich Award for the katsu sando, and was chosen as the FoodService Director Magazine Foodservice Operation of the Month for the innovative ordering system used in the Tully Caf茅 at 245 Beacon Street.
Honors such as these are a source of pride as well as a validation of 51茶馆DS鈥檚 efforts to ensure satisfaction on the part of its customers but also its staff, according to administrators鈥攁 task all the more critical given the pandemic鈥檚 impact on dining operations, said Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services Pat Bando.
鈥淚鈥檇 ask myself every day, 鈥楬ow can we increase the flexibility of our staff?鈥� and 鈥楬ow can we keep students and employees happy鈥攐r make them happier?鈥欌�� she said.
Many of the answers to such questions come from direct feedback, which the department willingly accepts in all forms. 51茶馆DS Director Beth Emery noted that their team was awarded the Eagle Partnership Award by the Undergraduate Government of 51茶馆, honoring a department that listens and actively responds to students鈥� assessments.
鈥淲e pride ourselves on that,鈥� Emery said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for student input. We鈥檙e not afraid of constructive feedback.鈥�
51茶馆DS serves upwards of 20,000-23,000 meals a day during the academic year, said Emery, but 鈥渨hen it comes to food it鈥檚 really personal: You really want to try and take care of that one student, employee, or community member.鈥� Student encounters with Dining Services staff can be as important as those with faculty members, she added: 鈥淵ou might be having a tough day, but that person in the dining hall could bring a smile to your face.鈥�
One important avenue for 51茶馆DS to gain insights into its successes and shortcomings is working with student-run or student-oriented groups through Dining Advisory Board meetings. Representatives from more than 30 organizations are invited to these gatherings, including the Center for Student Wellness, Undergraduate Government of 51茶馆, Muslim Student Association, 51茶馆 Hillel, the Sustainability Action Committee, and other cultural and sustainability groups.
Employment opportunities are yet another key means of contact with 51茶馆DS. As of mid-March, 51茶馆DS employed more than 800 students, including some 20 interns who manage the department鈥檚 social media accounts or handle promotions for the Green2Go campaigns.
The easing of pandemic-related restrictions also enabled 51茶馆DS to resume organizing special events, among them monthly culinary showcases, 鈥淧i Day鈥� cooking classes, and burger battles.
聽鈥淒ining Services really cares about the students, and it was a pleasure being able to open our dining units to full capacity,鈥� said Bando.
As 2022-2023 draws to a close, Bando and Emery are already planning for next year. Emery, for example, is exploring more ways to integrate students鈥� favorite foods into the current 51茶馆DS menus.
鈥淭he team will be summarizing the impact鈥攆inancial, physical, even emotional鈥攐f all the programs that we鈥檝e done,鈥� said Bando, 鈥渁nd we will use that as a guide to which ones we will grow and create anew.鈥�
Meghan Keefe '24 | University Communications | May 2023