Students have their say on the issues of the day: Chartwells and its services

By Karisma Boyd

CHARTWELLS Higher Education, founded in 1997, is a food provider service that partners with educational institutions k-12 and universities around the country to feed hungry students 3 times a day.

With more than 300 college dining programs, Chartwells strives to create a customized dining experience for each institution, while also catering to philanthropic campaigns like Sustainability, POWER*FUL, and cultural needs.

But as of late, Chartwells is facing some backlash from residents of York College of Pennsylvania. On April 4, the Student Senate released a statement via email to reflect on the food provider’s underwhelming dining initiatives and encouraged students to sign off virtually on the petition provided.

It read:

To all Student, Staff, and Faculty of York College of Pennsylvania,

We, the Student Senate of York College of Pennsylvania, have heard the various complaints and needs from the student body and beyond, regarding the declining status of food currently being served from Chartwells, primarily in Johnson Dining Hall. With this petition below, we will demand a variety of changes deemed necessary by the student population, and request a town hall to make sure each concern will be directly heard, recorded, and ensure that progress and necessary changes are made. With enough signatures, we hope to bring Chartwells and other important members of campus executive leadership to attend and see how much change is necessary. We ask for you to give up a few minutes of your time and fill out the brief link below, and to be on the lookout for the dates of when the town hall meeting may possibly occur.

If you have any questions feel free to email studentsenate@ycp.edu or cgreen26@ycp.edu. We look forward to continuing to serve you and the greater Spartan community.

The goal was to acquire at least 1,000 signatures.

Question: If Chartwells agreed to a town hall with the student body, what are some issues that should be addressed?

Ruth Williams is a sophomore majoring in Health and Science

Williams, an avid supporter of reforming Chartwells on campus, had a few points regarding what they described as a tricky situation clubs face when using Chartwells as a mandatory food company when catering.

“The first problem that I want addressed is just clubs and using their [Chartwells] food. I get it’s one thing if you’re helping the club because it’s cheaper – but the fact that they’re more expensive than catering services around York and communities is insane.”

They said, “And the fact that they leave it there and expect us to take care of it afterwards for the price clubs are paying is insane. So one thing I hope to be addressed is that and to make catering Chartwells optional or cheaper for students.”

Ali Pizarro is a sophomore

Pizarro is one of the many students who work at the Spartans Den, a food store that is open from 11 a.m. to midnight on campus. With the average wage at York College for students is almost less than $10, the talk of increasing wages for more labor intensive jobs for longer hours isn’t a new tune.

“Better pay, that’s my only thing – I want them to pay better wages. I think that the cost of living has gone up and $10 isn’t enough to be able to afford things like wanting to save up money,” Pizarro said while working on an order. “Especially if you have to pay out of pocket for things like school or getting your own place. And better food, low-key, because they don’t season it as much as I feel like it should be.”

Rayven Dickson is a junior majoring in Public Relations

Upperclassmen like Rayven Dickson have an opportunity to move into other residents’ halls with fully equipped kitchens and also have the option of buying a meal plan or not. But she knows that is not the same for everyone.

“Sometimes it’s very hit or miss in the dining halls and for some people like for me, I have a full kitchen in my apartment. But that’s not the case for everybody. Some people have to be dependent on meal plans and the menu may not match what is actually there,” the junior said. “With all these different stations within the dining halls, I think we need to expand more with the food options and utilize the areas for other options to accommodate other people.“

Bryan Collins is a freshman majoring in Civil Engineering

Collins is a member of the swim team and has to prioritize what he can and can not consume. He doesn’t feel fulfilled when it comes to the dining hall food, and most times, waste a swipe worth 13 dollars for fries.

“Consistently decent food. A lot of times I get to the dining hall and I just wont eat anything–or maybe get some french fries. The main thing is always some kind of weird dish or pork,” Collins said. ”So maybe have people – students come together and vote for certain items.”

Evan Cantemiry is a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering

A former Chartwells worker and current student at York College had some curiosity pertaining to the sourcing of ingredients throughout the company. “Where do the ingredients come from? Because I can remember that when I often worked there [Sparts Den], the ingredients changed a lot like the sauce and the dough.” Cantemiry said. “ And also the pay of the employees because it was low for me and doesn’t get better for others.”