ISU decides against private food service
Source: By LISA LIVERMORE, Des Moines Register, February 21, 2006
Ames – Iowa State University decided against hiring an outside company to operate its food service, ISU president Gregory Geoffroy announced today. The announcement ends a national bidding process that evaluated proposals from three private companies: ARAMARK, Chartwells and Sodexho. If ISU would have gone with one of those companies, it would have been the first public school in the Big 12 Conference to privatize its food service. Employees at ISU dining have opposed hiring an outside company, fearing a reduction in wages and benefits and quality of food from companies driven by profit. ..... ISU administrators said the decision to stay with their own dining service came in part because it has received high satisfaction ratings from consumers.