Forums will cover possible dining change
April 9, 2013
By Morgan Eads | @KyKernel
UK hopes to get feedback from students, employees and community members regarding the possible outsourcing of its dining services in two open forums.
These forums can help concerned parties be heard as the university moves toward seeking bids from companies, UK spokesman Jay Blanton said.
UK plans on sending a request for proposals to prospective companies “in the next several weeks,” Blanton said.
The request marks a firmer stance on the possibility of outsourcing from the university, but no final decision has been made, Blanton said.
The forums will give community members an opportunity to have their voices heard, Blanton said.
“We want to primarily hear from people in the community about what kind of proposals need to be in the RFPs,” Blanton said.
UK President Eli Capilouto has his own set of commitments that have to be met by prospective companies, Blanton said.
These commitments include the continuing of the Kentucky Proud initiative and student employment.
Capilouto is also calling for the guarantee of jobs for current fulltime employees in UK dining and the expansion of dining options, including healthier options.
The Dining Revitalization Committee hopes to see themes and individual concerns emerge in the forums that they can consider as they put together the request, Blanton said.
The university also hopes the forums will help students, employees and community members to more fully understand the process that is taking place.
“We want to give the university a broader opportunity to see the process,” Blanton said. “This is an important process, we need everyone to understand how we got to this point and where we’re going from here.”
Some community members came together in a forum led by a student organization last month to speak out against the outsourcing of UK dining services.
The group included students, instructors and local farmers. As to whether or not the university will actually outsource, Blanton said the decision would have to be made after proposals come in.
“We have to see proposals and see what’s in the best interest of the university,” Blanton said. “At the end of the day the university will do what is best for the institution.”
The first forum will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Worsham Theater. The second forum will be April 18 at 3:30 p.m. in the UK Athletics Auditorium in W.T. Young Library.
