Nobody Knows the Truffles I Have Seen:

A Revision of Food Options at the City College of New York

The Cereal Killers

Kenneth Feng, Ravid Rahman, Esther Schottenfeld, Breanna Simmonds

November 13^th, 2018

 

 

Introduction

Remember your first semester at college? You finally finish your first class and realize that it’s lunch time. High tailing it to the City College North Academic Center (NAC) dining hall, you are confronted with a boatload of options like in a buffet-style restaurant. At first all the options are overwhelming, but after a semester, it becomes bland due to how stagnant the dining hall is. While we do have a salad bar and fresh fruits available every day, the same produce becomes progressively less appetizing. This makes the unhealthy options considerably more appealing. Due to very limited options such as the NAC dining hall, Halal Carts, vending machines, and the horrible eating habits you have developed, the legendary “freshmen 15” is no longer a myth. It became a reality.

By definition, choice is to pick out or select. This word apparently does not exist in the vocabulary of many university food services. Students are not given a lot of alternatives, such as choosing when they would like to eat their meals, the types of foods they would like to eat or even the dining hall atmosphere. In this proposal, we will discuss whether the dining hall at the City College of New York (CCNY) is acceptable as well as the alternatives, the benefits of applying the alternatives, the budget, and the best manner to implement the changes.

 

 

 

Action Plan

1. Survey a sample of the student body to create a list of needs from the students.
2. Hold a town hall type meeting with the student body to discuss the best approach.
3. Follow through with the selected course of action from one of the following plans.

Plan A: Improving the options in the NAC cafeteria

1. Contact local farms, food producers, or marketplaces to form a partnership.
2. If demand for a contract is high enough, officially put up a bid for it.
3. Discuss details of the contract when you find a suitable provider.
   1. Include what products are to be shipped, the payment, the length of the contract, and how the products will be transported.
4. After you have secured a line for vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meats, scout for a gourmet/high-class chef or group of chefs that are able to cook up a variety of different ethnic foods.
5. Form a contract with them that discusses their pay, the length of the contract, their hours and location of work.
6. Discuss with the chef what they would be preparing daily.
   1. Could alternate the food prepared depending on the days of the week.
      1. Example: Monday – Italian Foods such as garlic bread and spaghetti, Tuesday – Mexican Foods, Wednesday – Asian Foods, Thursday – America Foods, Friday – Pizza.

 

 

Plan B: Mini-Restaurants/Food court

1. Contact potential on-campus vendors or local restaurant entrepreneurs that are willing to open a restaurant on campus.
   1. Ex: Sugar Hill Cafe
2. Filter out the ones that are not of interest of the student body or do not benefit the student body or incredibly shady.
3. Allocate space for the restaurant/food court.
4. Discuss details of the contract with the qualifying participants
   1. Discuss how they would be paying, through rent or royalties, what they promise to do at the campus, where they can build a restaurant, how long can the restaurant stay there, who would handle building the restaurant and supplies, and how workers would be hired.
5. Allow renovation during the summer months for the restaurants to build their restaurant.

Plan C: Food Carts/Trucks

1. Contact potential candidates.
2. Filter out the unqualifying ones.
3. Discuss a contract with the qualifying ones.
   1. Would they pay rent or pay in royalties, where they can stay (at specific locations on campus or near campus), whether we would provide them with food supplies or helpers, and if they would be able to open a restaurant at City College of New York and still have a food cart business outside.

 

 

Budget

As of April 2018, the Office of Academic Affairs has made public the fiscal report from the 1^st of July to the 30^th of July (of the following year). This report details the CCNY budget, which is composed of tuition and government support. Along with a budget report, CCNY publicly releases a financial plan every year. To ensure that the financial plan satisfies standards, there is a thorough review of the enrollment, expenditures, and revenues. In the 2017 fiscal year, CCNY began quarterly expense projections of each year. Any overspending is then levied to the state. Although the budget decreases significantly each year, $500,000 has been allocated to remodel the NAC cafeteria. By remodeling the dining facilities, we will be able to create a functional dining experience that is tailored to be more inviting as well as includes more food options.

Since the 2015 fiscal year, there has been a general downward trend in revenue from the cafeteria and vending machines (see Fig 2). In the 2015 fiscal year, there was an 8% drop in revenue for the cafeteria and a 3% drop for the vending machines. For the 2016 fiscal year (from July 1^st), there was a 11% drop in revenue for the cafeteria and an 8% drop for the vending machine. Although there was no considerable drop in revenue in the 2017 fiscal year, there was still a 1% overall decrease (see Fig 3). From 2014 to 2017 the cafeteria saw a 20% decrease in revenue, while vending machines saw a 13% decrease. Without a significant change to CCNY’s dining experience, there will continue to be a steady decline in food related revenue.

Food sales and transactions are outlined in a 2015 proposal for CCNY. This proposal shows that transactions during the fall and spring semesters are considerably greater Monday through Thursday as compared to Friday through Sunday. This is reflective of student traffic on campus. We hope to increase these sales and transactions by offering more appealing options to the majority of students who prefer not to eat on campus, as represented by data in Appendix A.

From 2014 to 2015 there was an 8% drop in revenue from the cafeteria revenue and 3% from the vending machines. Although there has been a general downward trend in the percent decrease of revenue, this is not reflective of sales or transactions as more and more students are bringing food from home or are buying from auxiliary sources (see Fig 4). The menu from the NAC cafeteria details the price of breakfast items sold by the dozen (see Fig 5). The $21.25 price tag for a dozen bagels, muffins, croissants, etc. (or $1.77 per piece), is far too high. This is simply not an intelligent model as these items are sold for one dollar all around the city. Lunch prices are much higher as a proper meal would cost about $12.

 

Improving food options on campus will have a positive effect on the learning, attendance, and participation of the students. Studies have shown that there is a direct link between nutrition and educational achievement, such as “The Relationship between Nutrition and Children’s Educational Performance: A Focus on the United Arab Emirates,” written by UCLA professors Osman Galal and Judie Hulett. This study points out that by only looking at the socioeconomic and demographic background of the students and staff in the school, schools have missed a major factor in trying to improve student achievement. They fail to realize the impact of nutrition, or lack thereof, on students.

This is not a minor factor, as “studies have shown that undernourished children have lower attendance, shorter attention span, lower performance scores, and more health-related problems than their well-nourished counterparts” (Galal and Hulett 11). Unhealthy food can lead to issues of malnutrition, such as iron or iodine deficiency or obesity (ibid 16). Food lacking in nutrition causes “absenteeism, delayed enrollment, lowered cognitive capacity, and reduced academic achievement” (ibid 11).

Schools worldwide are using data from this study to improve students’ success through nutrition. CCNY will gain tremendously from doing the same and improving the cafeteria options. Giving students healthier options will improve the education of the student body at no net cost, as revenue will increase. This will have a positive impact on the students, leading to decreased tardiness and increased participation. It will also improve the academic standing of CCNY as a college. If CCNY revamps the cafeteria in the NAC, tangible effects on educational achievement will surely follow.

 

Additionally, remodeling the dining facilities to consist of diverse food options and catering would increase monthly revenue by 2-3% within a month. By the end of a year sales would approximately increase by 24-36%. Incorporating an efficient and affordable store on campus for student to stop at between classes would increase sales by 48% and transactions by 24%. Given the limited available space and funding, food trucks would be an excellent way of expanding food options. Subcontractors food trucks like Little Egypt Halal Food would increase the revenue about 48%. Adding thriving national brands such as Au bon Pain, Subway, Wendy’s, or Panda express, would result in an overall 70% increase.

Conclusion

There is large room for improvement of the current food situation at CCNY, which now has a budget deficit. According to the survey, although the majority of students are neutral about the food situation, most of them do not eat school food. From those who do, most want change in the NAC cafeteria. Sixty-one percent of surveyed students want healthier, more nutritious food. Revamping the NAC cafeteria or simply allowing food carts/trucks onto campus can drastically improve student satisfaction while increasing revenue for the college and improving student performance. By incorporating these changes to CCNY, we can cull the myth that is “freshmen 15” and relieve some of the burdens that Chef Mike must handle. Let us not settle for the mediocre options we have now. We need to aim higher like always.

 

 

Biographies

Esther Schottenfeld is a second-year mechanical engineering student at CCNY. She attended elementary and high school in Queens, followed by a year abroad. She has worked as a math tutor, a lifeguard, and a special needs counselor. These jobs have taught her to be responsible, dedicated, and a good communicator. During her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Breanna Simmonds is a second-year at CCNY studying computer science, from Brooklyn. During her free time, she likes to paint, watch Netflix shows and classic movies, and go out with her friends. She has had two office jobs in the past and is currently looking to explore other career paths. She is enjoying life, trying to survive school, and spending as much time as she can with friends and family.

Kenneth Feng is a first-year computer science student at CCNY. He grew up in Brooklyn and attended school elementary to high school there. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, watching anime, playing games, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Kenneth has had experience working as an afterschool tutor, a teacher assistant, as an employee at Rollin Deep Ice Cream and 1199SEIU. He is now exploring career paths such as computer science and accounting while trying to get through the hardest trial of his life: college.

Ravid Rahman is a second-year computer science student at CCNY. He moved to New York from Bangladesh four and a half years ago and has been passionate about computer science since he had his first sip of Java. Besides programming, he enjoys tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: the Gathering, which ultimately led to him working at a game store. He also enjoys watching anime and playing, but mostly watching, esports like League of Legends.

 

 

Works cited

Admin, W. (2018, April 09). Accounting | The City College of New York. Retrieved from

https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/finance/accounting

Bendici, R. (2016, November 23). Food Franchise 101 on campus | University Business. Retrived from https://www.universitybusiness.com/article/food-franchise-101-campus

1. (2015, February 27). The City College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation REQUEST FOR

PROPOSALS FOOD SERVICE. Retrieved from

https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/aec/upload/CCNY-RFP-Food-Only-123014.pdf

1. (2018, April). DECENNIAL SELF-STUDY FOR THE MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION

ON HIGHER EDUCATION. Retrieved from https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/academicaffairs/upload/MSCHESelf-StudyReport-Final21Feb18.pdf

1. (2015, June 30). The City College Auxiliary Enterprises Corporation Financial Statements

and Supplementary Information. Retrieved 2014, from https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/CUNY City College Auxiliary Final FS 2015[1].pdf

1. (2018). City College Dining Services Student Catering Guide. Retrieved from

https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/dining/upload/Student-Catering-Guide.pdf Moneymaking Meals. (2013, February 22). Retrieved from https://www.universitybusiness.com/moneymakingmeals

Galal, O., & Hulett, J. (2003). The relationship between nutrition and children’s educational performance: a focus on the United Arab Emirates. Nutrition Bulletin, 28(1), 11–20. https://doi-org.queens.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1046/j.1467-3010.2003.00301.x

Oches S. (2013, November). A Lesson in College Foodservice. Retrieved from https://www.qsrmagazine.com/growth/lesson-college-foodservice

Schneiderman, B. (2018, July 19). Student Technology Fee Plan Fiscal Year 2018 | The City

College of New York. Retrieved from https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/it/student-technology-fee-plan-fiscal-year-2018

Sharmon. (2018, October 26). Concessions | The City College of New York. Retrieved from

https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/dining/concessions

Tanyeri, D. (2016, July 1). The Future of College and University Food Service is Now. Retrieved from http://fesmag.com/features/foodservice-issues/13586-the-future-of-college-and-university-foodservice-is-n

 

 

 

Appendix

Appendix A: Survey data represented graphically