Editorial

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Editorials | Send mail to The Voice Students should quit grumbling about the food Welcomed by open arms, or perhaps more appropriately, open mouths by most students, Aramark Food Service joined the Multnomah family this semester. Most students are excited about the quality and selection of food Aramark supplies. But is this simply cafeteria hype? In three months will cafeteria morale plummet? Will the chefs become complacent, falling into a routine or rotation, cooking the same meals over and over? If we look at Multnomah history, we learn the answer: yes, indeed. Take, for example, the annual all-school retreat at Wild Horse Canyon. Many students complained that only two meals per day were served. Granted, these students wouldn't even imagine rising at the crack of dawn on their relaxing weekend away to eat breakfast. Laziness aside, meal morale was low among students. What of Pioneer Foods, Multnomah's former food service? Many students felt quality was sacrificed for a large selection. On a usual day, one could find five to six entrées for lunch and dinner, catered to any preference from Mexican to Italian. The selection should have satisfied the demanding student. Although students had a plethora of choices, they objected to the taste of the food. The administration took note, to the students' appreciation. By appeasing the students with the introduction of Aramark, the administration met students' demand for quality in taste and selection. So what does the history imply? Are Multnomah students whiny, spoiled, finicky children who demand a catering to their personal capriciousness? Perhaps not to the degree of ungrateful children, but time will tell with the new food service. If Aramark is simply a hyped-up version of Pioneer Foods, obviously meal morale will dwindle and finally collapse. But if Aramark can identify and satisfy the equilibrium between student need and want, one can expect the company to be included in the Multnomah family for a long time. As for the nasty smell in the cafeteria? As one student put it, "They still haven't exorcised the cafeteria-aroma demons! When are they gonna get around to that?" Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Editorials | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2004 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.