Let’s eat! BGSU Firelands now has food service

Student voices were heard, and the Firelands Café officially opened for business on Feb. 3. Fresh food prepared daily is now an alternative to the vending machines in the campus “Vendeteria.”

The Firelands Café is currently open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The café features a wide menu designed with student tastes and budgets in mind.

A fall 2001 Student Retention survey indicated that food service ranked number three in the answers to “What can we do better?” Food service was also mentioned frequently during a discussion of ways to improve or impact retention during BGSU Firelands’ Opening Day 2002. Student and staff focus groups conducted by Opening Day guest speaker Christine Seiler, marketing, listed food service as item number two under “longer term” suggestions to improve retention.

Director of Budget and Operations Mark Charville began contacting local vendors in early August 2002, but initial contacts failed due to vendor concerns about revenue and a relatively small campus population. jIn November 2002, however, Ron Baum of Firelands Food Systems, of Sandusky, responded positively to Charville’s inquiry about a food service operation. In December 2002 a local Subway owner also indicated an interest in providing food service at the college. Since two vendors were now available, the decision was made to give each company six weeks to test market a food service operation during spring semester 2003. The preferred vendor will be determined by a survey of faculty, staff and students and awarded a contract for fall 2003.

Firelands Food Systems was chosen for the first test market opportunity. Baum and Charville, with the help of Jane Schimpf, assistant vice president for auxiliary services, worked throughout December and January to finalize contract negotiation, menu selection, health department inspection and equipment construction and installation for the initial operation.

Response from the campus community has been very favorable. Dean James Smith cited this as another example of how BGSU Firelands "faculty and staff have strived to create the best possible environment for students. The need for this type of facility, for faculty, students and staff, was painfully apparent. I'm extremely pleased that Mark Charville could work with local vendors to make this new dining option a reality."