Food User Group

Minutes

Thursday March 20th, 2014
1:00pm –2:30pm

AA 160

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Attendance:

Billi Jo Cox, Special Projects Office of Business & Administration

Ary Maharaj, Student Representative

Frank Peruzzi, Project Coordinator Food Services

Mohsin Jeelani, Project Coordinator, One Card

Adriana Koufis, Staff Representative from Dept. of Physical & Environmental Sciences

Daniel Tittil, Operations Coordinator SCSU

Frank Villiva, Retail & Conference Services

Indy Karu, Food Services Director of Aramark LTD

Nadia Hardar, Sustainability Office

Alice Liu, VP Operations SCSU

Amir Bashir, Executive Director SCSU

Regrets

Fran Wdowczyk, Office of Business Development

Tricia Patel, Coordinator Campus Life and Special Events

Hilda Seedanee, Internal Events

Professor George Quan Fun, Faculty Member

Courtney Wilkins, RCA Representative

Tom Snell, Student Housing and Residence Life

1. Welcome & Introductions

A brief welcome to the committee members

2. Business Arising from the Minutes

Minutes from January 21st, no corrections required

3. Sub-Committee Updates

a. Survey Sub-committee–No activity

b. Catering Sub-Committee (Adriana Koufis)

  • Catering Showcase on February 27th andsaw attendance from about 75 people
  • Adriana noted it was a great opportunity to see what the campus on-caterers can provide and offered kudos to Orlando from Rex's Den as well as Aramark’s participation.
  • Frank noted that at Rex's Den the executives should definitely keep on Rex's catering so that they have the context of the group.
  • Ary noted that at orientation for Student Groups, there is a orientation group on food and that it is a good time to provide a student groups session/showcase. Frank noted that we could do one to gear students.
  • Billi Jo will circulate feedback from the showcase to the committee

c. Residence Sub-Committee

The sub-committee is geared towards creating a food user and communication engagement for Residence students to create synergies between food services and Residence. The sub-committee can provide feedback on ways to get student feedback and how to update the students on promotions and provide information on what is ongoing in Residence.

d. Food Sustainability User Committee

Nadia noted that the sub-committee has met a couple of times to date:

  • The local food challenge held a logo competition for local food challenge
  • Sustainability food inventory–the sub-committee is starting to create an inventory for the food sustainability list
  • Survery – A survey will be going out collect feedback on food-sustainability initiatives on campus from students
  • Urban Food Revolution–The next one will be happening on Thursday March 26th featuring Vegetarian Chilli, bread and apple crumble

Local Food Challenge - UTSC received a grant to promote local food on campus. From the outset, there isalready a high local food percentage being used by Aramark

  • As a part of the local food challenge, on September 10th the Farmers’ Market will be looking to do a Local Chef Off & corn roast
  • There is a Twitter & FB page for UTSC Food

4. General Business

a.SCSU (Daniel)

  • Exam hours will be 12:00pm – 9:00pm from April 7th-17th
  • Rex’s Den all-day breakfasts during exams
  • Summer Hours: 12:00pm – 8:00pm, Monday-Friday
  • Rex’s Den will offer specials for faculty and staff:
  • Famous mahi mahi

b.T-Card+ (Mohsin Jeelani)

  • A new external vendor, The Golden Chopsticks, is now a vendor taking T-Card for delivery or walk-ins (delivery is only valid after 7pm)
  • Monthly meal plans will start in May and new monthly meal plans will take effect in the Summer. The office is also working with the Green Path students to get them signed up
  • All mealplans go live this September and will target the Commuter Students
  • Meal plans will also come with coupon booklets
  • Tcard plus will be looking to launch an app to allow everyone to log on and see the account balances etc
  • They are working on allowing meal plans to be purchased online
  • The office has received an order of 3,000 guest cards as a blitz to all of those in the University community to be usedas giveaways etc. Departments are starting to buy-into the program
  • There are universities are interested in having PRESTO onto their cards, UTSC and other universities are working with PRESTO on figuring out how this could work
  • Faculty-Staff meal plans should launch in the Fall semester
  • Amir asked about off-campus vendors being a part of the T-Card+ program and what the timelines are. Frank noted that this issue is not urgent and was unsure of the priority for moving this along quickly as currently the program is partnered with pizza and Chinese food places.Amir noted that he wanted to be sure that the SCSU was prepared for the semester. Frank noted that it was not likely for anything to be added before September unless Amir had a suggestion
  • Adriana wanted to know if Sobey’s could be considered to be added and Indy noted that it's closing in April
  • Amir asked what the usage rate is for the TCard, how much people purchased,and how much has been redeemed. Mohsin noted that he did not have the exact information with him at the meeting, butwill circle back with Amir but that it's about 65% of students who are using the students. Amir is more so curious as to how much has been redeemed in the Meal Plans.

c. Update from Aramark (Indy)

  • Indy noted that breakfast on Saturday is picking up
  • There will be a Pancake Breakfast promotion that he will work with Frank on

d. Website (Billi Jo Cox)

  • Billi Jo noted that she will ensure that the Facebook and Twitter information is updated

e. RFP (Frank Peruzzi)

  • The committee was thanked for participating in the process as well as their comments
  • Presentations from the proponents will happen next week and will be about 30-45 minutes in length after which there will be time for questions and clarifications
  • Friday, March 28th
  • 9:00am – 10:00am Aramark
  • 11:00am – 12:00pm Compass

5. Update from Assistant Director, Food (Frank Peruzzi)

None

6. New Business

It was brought up that the Pizza Pizza is sometimes old and this should be brought up to Aramark to rectify

Next Meeting – September 2014