A student leader has teamed up with the University’s food provider to allow students to give feedback on GW’s dining halls in the coming weeks.
Student Association Vice President Demetrius Apostolis and Chartwell Higher Education — the University’s food provider — are creating a focus group of Chartwell officials, SA senators and students that will travel to GW’s dining halls and provide real-time feedback to Chartwell’s on how they can improve students’ food and dining hall experiences. Apostolis said the focus group is an exciting prospect because Chartwell can implement direct modifications to the dining halls based on focus group members’ “on the spot” suggestions.
Apostolis said he hopes the group will include roughly 25 members of the public, along with “some members” of the SA to ensure that everyone has a voice at the table. Apostolis said applications for the group will open on Friday, and students interested in joining can apply through the link they will post on Instagram or through the link in their newsletter on Monday.
He said the application will be open for roughly a week, and the group hopes to get started right after applications close.
“The change will be incremental, because it will be offered right there in the dining hall,” Apostolis said. “It will be something that’s able to be fixed almost instantly or within the same week.”
Apostolis said he felt the need to create the dining hall focus group because he’s heard a lot of complaints and concerns from students about the dining halls, including reports of undercooked food and anxieties about improper allergen labeling. Apostolis said the focus group will be a good opportunity to provide feedback, especially considering the novelty of all-you-care-to-eat dining halls on campus.
Apostolis said a smaller dining hall feedback group he was a part of last year when he was Senate Chairperson Pro Tempore inspired the focus group, but the new group will be different because they previously didn’t work with Chartwell’s to provide feedback. Apostolis added that the focus group marks the first time the SA has taken steps toward ensuring dining is meeting students’ needs rather than advocating for a different dining plan altogether because University officials have stated “multiple times” that the dining halls will be staying on campus.
“This is the first time we’ve really taken the step of, how can we improve what we have to make sure that it’s sufficient for all students and that they’re actually enjoying the dining plans that they’re purchasing,” he said.
