Given the recent budget cuts and fiscal constraints -states such as Ohio are exploring opportunities to maximize their state-wide dollars. One recent idea seeks to subsidize food costs by purchasing food (along with Ohio's correctional facilities) in bulk and jointly. Although the article presents a early overview, I wonder what the implications will be for OSU as it relates to the state correctional facilities? Also, will students oppose food cost sharing because of the partnership that would be established with the Ohio correctional facilities? These questions are all critical as Ohio continues to dialogue about cost efficiency. Please see link below for full story.
Link: http://diverseeducation.com/article/14944/
This idea strikes me as unique! I have heard many students complain about the quality of dorm food so in part I think some students will always complain. There is something to think about the nutrition value, but in the article they state they would not change the quality. I would assume most students eat at the dining halls max two years so I would say if the money being "saved" is actually used for something of value (since they are not lowering student food prices) then go for it.
ReplyDelete...thinking about it a little more...I can see some students having a certain stigma about the food. I don't think that would go too far though.
I like the ideal. Besides the fact that it would save money, I think it will improve relations with the state and the school which will hopefully transfer over to higher levels of funding for Ohio State.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to see that the State has to spend $54 million to feed its 48,700 inmates every year. It works out to be about $3.37 a day which is pretty good.
Personally, I would not want to share food with a prison. Just this idea makes me wonder if I would be getting quality food. Everyone has to eat and that is the prison's problem. Some people probably don't even belong in the jail. As a university sharing and doing a joint cost with getting food would have to be that the university gets to choose the food choices. The reason I say this because what they serve in prison probably does not look all that great and if I am paying tuition dollars and room and boards costs, then I better get quality.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a response and it deleted, figures...
ReplyDeleteMain points: I think this is a great idea! With a long background in the food industry, it is always a good idea to share bulk buying because you receive great discounts the larger the quantity, and no one, unless looking at the invoice, would even know! Many restaurants do this and you would never know the difference between the ingredient and final product...the connection wouldn't go beyond the invoice and substantial price savings.
For instance...take a potato bought in bulk...there isn't a difference between those the prison would buy and those the school would buy, but maybe the prison would make mashed potatoes and the school would make hand-cut french fries...the recipes are completely different, but the base product is the same.
Flour, salt, milk, eggs, butter, and many other base/key ingredients are hardly noticeable in their complete form, so why not buy in bulk? If students make the connection from this then they have a wild imagination…and all you have to do is explain in terms of monetary savings (their food plan would increase $x if they didn’t buy this way) and I am sure they would understand. Most students probably wouldn’t know…how many students at U of I know where we buy our office products? We bulk buy many items with the other 2 campuses now (finally), but this is hardly on the minds of students…beyond the cost savings.
I just don’t think that the stigma will be a problem…and I doubt that the students will see any differences in the cafeteria. There is no threat to the healthy food items since they are just ingredients and can be made into a variety of dishes…and in no way does it sound like one place can’t order a certain ingredient if the other place doesn’t need it, so they would still be able to purchase other ingredients they need. We are not talking prepared canned finished products…just key ingredients you would buy in bulk…and the article states this fact: "But eggs are eggs, milk is milk, bread is bread” and you wouldn’t see a difference in the quality, just the savings.
In all, it is a great idea to look for cost saving measures outside of the box, especially at state institutions. I know the U of I is doing the office product sharing – bulk buying with the other 2 campuses, and looking into possibly sharing with ISU, SIU, and others. Maybe we should look into the food! It’s creative and would be cost saving. As we are in a fiscal crisis that is getting bigger, we should be looking towards cost saving programs (solar/wind power?!!!)…not just rely on what has been in place.