Fordham Dining was named number 7 on this year’s Princeton Review list of worst campus review. Kellyn Simpkins/The Fordham Ram
By Nicole Horton
Despite recent changes made to the university’s dining experience, Fordham has not yet been dropped from The Princeton Review’s worst campus food list, receiving a No. 7 spot in the 2015 edition. Previously, Fordham was ranked No. 1 by The Princeton Review in the category of worst campus food in both 2011 and 2012. This shows a slight improvement in perception, but that there is still progress to be made and a stigma to lose.
The end of this academic year marks two years since Fordham announced a ten-year contract with Sodexo, receiving an immediate deluge of negative feedback from students. Administrators were quick to defend the contract and discuss plans for various retail installations on campus, including Panda Express, Auntie Anne’s, Cosi and Zime. After instituting these changes in the past two years, the focus of Fordham dining will mainly be food choices and trends and limited time offers, along with maintaining and getting the most out of its facilities.
When asked about Rose Hill’s food quality in fall 2013, 73 percent of Fordham students said it was good or better, according to a survey of 143 students conducted by The Fordham Ram. This is a considerably more positive response than the past few years.
The Fordham Ram previously reported that the new Sodexo contract stipulates that the food provider will incur a $3 million penalty if Fordham’s name is not off The Princeton Review’s worst food list in the next few years. This shows that Fordham is concerned about the negative connotation and national perception.
However, Fordham campus Dining Liaison Deming Yaun did not seem overly concerned about the most recent ranking, mainly because dining is not surveyed every year.
“We’ve gone up because other universities have gone down. We’re surveyed in February [for the 2016 edition] — 1,200 people in a week’s time take the survey,” said Yaun. “We’re expecting good news.”
Yaun went on to reference the eight to 12 renovated locations at Rose Hill since summer 2013, and four recent changes at Lincoln Center.
“We’ve had an exciting past two years at Fordham,” Yaun. “I’ve never seen the face of dining change as dramatically as it has at Fordham.”
Yaun attributes this progress to creating mutual goals in a partnership between Fordham and Sodexo, and to using surveys and social media feedback to continue making improvements.
Fordham students have been vocal about such issues as implementing healthier meal options and extending dining service hours. The class of 2018 is the largest Fordham freshman class to date, prompting housing concerns and also potential overcrowding for campus dining facilities. During busy lunch and dinner times such as 1 and 6 p.m., in addition to a longer waiting time at stations, it can be difficult to find seating at locations like the Marketplace and The Grille.
“What we’ve learned from our surveys is that The Grille is by far the most popular eating location as is, so we’re exploring enlarging it,” Yaun said when asked about the expanding student population. “We are targeting in the next few years.”
The university is in the beginning stages of working with companies to discuss building plans and funding. It will be a challenge to expand as The Grille is located in O’Hare Hall adjacent to the parking structure.
The only structural change to the Marketplace within the past few years is expanded perimeter seating, but that will soon change.
“We are in conversation and looking forward to making a major change here,” said Yaun. “The timing of which I can’t really speak to, but we know this location needs to be addressed soon.”
With the aforementioned renovation plans, expanded selection of eateries over the past two years and an overhaul in food options stemming from input from students, Fordham Dining has more advancements planned as it looks to further cast aside its negative stigma.
