Show Food Service increases 1 Dear Editor There has been some grumbling because of the modest increase in prices in inthe inthe inthe the cafeteria since last quarter No one likes to pay more for necessities like food And we the College Center and Food Service management management management manage manage- ment really dont don't like to increase increase increase in in- crease prices but weve we've resisted the pressure to do so for as long as we could The auxiliaries College Center Book Store and Food Service are required by the Board of Regents to be self- self supporting activities of We receive no tax money to operate with Just as the auxiliaries on all college campuses campuses campuses cam cam- in the State we must generate all of our own operating funds from such things as fees and sales of books supplies and food Lately there have been demands upon our resources which make it impossible not notto notto notto to raise prices A new Board of Regents regulation this year requires the auxiliaries to set aside from their revenues a depreciation reserve to replace major equipment and furnishings kitchen equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment carpeting and furniture furniture furniture furni furni- ture for example This new expense will cost us over per year The serving area is in dire need of remodeling to more efficiently accommodate the increased users of Food Service Service Service Ser Ser- Ser Ser- vice at the cost estimated between between between be be- tween to In addition the mechanical dish dishwasher washer needs to be replaced at a cost of over Utility costs for the newly expanded College Center totaled totaled totaled to to- over last year year year-a a 21 ti increase from the year before Food costs have increased by 12 and the amount we must pay to the College for our portion of the schools school's overhead has increased by bv 7 32 New Federal regulations also add pressure to increase prices A law pending in Congress Congress Congress Con- Con gress proposes that all employees working more than 29 hours must be paid full benefits health life insurance insurance insurance in in- and retirement This provision could add an additional additional additional addi addi- to to the auxiliaries expenses each year Weve We've run a profitable yet affordable food service operatic opera opera- tic in t the e past T This s i is partly due to our popular Saturday night nigh t Copper Room Buffet The buffet helped our financial financial finan finan- c cial al' al position by bringing in money from student non-student sources which helped to subsidize subsidize subsidize sub sub- the cafeteria operations operations operations opera opera- keeping prices down Even here though there is pressure from the Legislature Legisla Legisla- ture and business to not compete compete compete com com- pete with private enterprise The Board of Regents' Regents auditors have required us to eliminate all all advertising to the general public about the buffet As a result sales are down and the subsidy decreases AS me the subsidy decreases the patrons of the cafeteria will have to make makeup makeup makeup up the difference One day we may be forced to totally eliminate elimina te this source of revenue and as it happens good public relations All of these issues have taken a heavy toll on our ability to generate the funds required to satisfy regulations and at the same time provide nutritious low cost meals to stu students e ts ft of r the the col col- col- col lege Last year our food service operation lost money but this year we are optimistically predicting to break even after meeting all our required ex ex- ex- ex Just as important we feel that eating in the cafeteria is still a good value and we Ye pledge to keep it that way Michael Th Thurman College Center Operations Manager |