Administration
The Food Service staff prepares and serves meals to students, staff, and campus guests. Food Service Director Melissa Unruh coordinates departmental activities and assists the college administration in developing departmental goals and plans in relationship to the broader goals and mission of Hesston College. She supervises Carol Kratky, the morning supervisor, Sue Stuckey, the afternoon supervisor, and the department’s secretarial staff.
The morning and afternoon supervisors provide leadership and direction in menu planning, food preparation, and supervision of student employees. They also monitor the dining facilities during meal times.
Student Advisory Council members provide counsel to Food Service staff concerning services and operations.
The Food Service department employs approximately 40 students. The federal government subsidizes most of these work assignments through the Federal Work Study Program. Contact the campus student employment coordinator (ext. 8220) or the Food Service office for details and a listing of available assignments.
Services
The Food Service department endeavors to provide excellent service and to balance personnel, facilities, and time resources with the needs of the various departments of the college.
Service Style—Food Service operates a “self-service” style buffet for most food items during meal time. This style allows you to select the foods you enjoy and to tailor your serving size to your level of hunger. Food Service offers a variety of traditional and unique entrees and side dishes at each meal. Self-service offers you the opportunity to try an unfamiliar dish without taking so much that you have to leave it on your plate. Of course you are welcome to take as much as you can eat during meal time (please don’t take more than you can eat, though). You may return to the serving area for additional servings until closing time.
Menus—Weekly menus are posted in the display case at the entrance to the serving area and can be accessed through the Hesston College home page on the Internet (www.hesston.edu). Although Food Service tries to follow published menus, circumstances may require menu changes without prior notice.
Health and Diet—To accommodate the college’s diverse student population, Food Service includes in its menus foods from various cultures. Such variety offers you the opportunity to broaden your horizons and share in the cultures of your fellow students.
Food Service provides food choices which allow you to enjoy healthy meals, when possible incorporating vegetarian recipes for those who choose not to eat meat. Food Service does not encourage fad diets.
Illness—Special diets are available for students who are unable to eat in the dining facility because of illness. Contact your resident assistant (RA), assistant resident director (ARD), or resident director (RD) for assistance in securing the proper request forms. Brochures explaining recommended diets for common illnesses experienced on our campus are available from the Student Life Office or Food Service.
If a boarding student has health complications with diet restrictions, Food Service will, to the best of its abilities, accommodate that student’s dietary needs. If Food Service cannot accommodate those needs, the student may apply for a meal refund by submitting written verification from his or her physician to the vice president of student life and the food service director.
Food Requests—Let Food Service provide food for your mod or college-sponsored club event. If your mod or other college-sponsored organization meets off campus over meal time, Food Service can supply the food. Boarding students eat without additional charge. The group making the request will cover food costs for any non-boarding students and guests included in the activity. Food Service requires a 10-day advance notification in order to ensure adequate supplies. Contact the Food Service office for details and menu options.
Sack Lunches and Refunds—If you are a boarding student and your work or class schedule keeps you from eating in the cafeteria, Food Service will either provide a sack lunch for you or, in situations involving weekday lunches, allow you to eat at the Larks Nest at no additional charge (up to a limited amount). College departments or college-sponsored organizations scheduling activities over meal times may be eligible for reimbursement or box lunches for participating boarding students. Contact the Food Service office for details.
Students living on campus are provided meals under the room/board fee plan. Boarding fees are based on the assumption that a student will miss some of his or her meals for personal reasons. Refunds or sack lunches are not provided to students who miss meals due to personal reasons.
Private Dining Room—Sauder dining rooms are available as schedule permits for mods or organized groups to dine in private. Make your reservations through the Food Service office.
Larks Nest—Located in the Erb Hall lounge, the Larks Nest sells sandwiches, beverages, snacks, and candy. Hours are posted on the entry door.
Charge Accounts—Food Service offers charge accounts to commuter students. If you are a non-boarding student, you may arrange your personal charge account by contacting the Food Service office. The Business Office sends monthly statements to charge account holders.
Serving Times
Monday-Friday:
| Breakfast: | 7:30-9:30 a.m. | |
| Lunch: | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | |
| Supper | 5:30-6:15 p.m. |
Weekends:
| Saturday Brunch: | 11-11:30 a.m. | |
| Saturday Supper: | 5:15-6 p.m. | |
| Sunday Breakfast: | 8:30-9 a.m. | |
| Sunday Lunch: | noon-12:45 p.m. | |
| Sunday Supper: | 5:15-6 p.m. |
Meal serving schedules are posted throughout campus and sent to all mods. Meal serving times may be changed during the year, particularly during finals weeks and class breaks, to accommodate changing student schedules. The serving line shuts down promptly at closing time.
Policies
The Food Service staff asks that you abide by policies which help in creating an environment that is relaxing and pleasant for all persons using the dining facility. These policies address areas of consideration for others using the facility as well as areas of compliance with Kansas health code.
Health Code—Kansas health code requires all persons entering the dining or serving area to wear shoes, sandals, or slippers with hard soles. Proper footwear will protect you from broken glass, etc.
Health code also requires that diners use unused dishes and glassware when returning for “seconds” of food and beverages. Do not bring personal glasses, cups, mugs, and dishes into the serving area. Use only dishware and glassware provided.
Please remember that only Food Service employees are allowed in the kitchen and food storage areas of Bontrager Student Center.
Emergency Procedures—Bontrager Student Center is equipped with fire extinguishers and fire alarms. State law requires that everyone vacate the building when the fire alarm sounds. In the event of a fire alarm during meal time, please follow instructions given by staff.
Candles with “open-flame” are not allowed under state law. Tables may not be moved to block emergency exits and aisles.
During a tornado warning (when a tornado has been sighted near Hesston), the city tornado sirens sound a continuous alarm. Food Service has developed a safety plan to evacuate students from the dining area in the event of a tornado warning. Please follow instructions given by staff.
I.D. Checking—Boarding students are required to carry their student ID cards when entering the serving area. Student employees are responsible for checking names on a computer. Please cooperate with the checkers and provide the information they request.
Music—Food Service provides background music for the dining and kitchen work areas. Preselected radio stations, tapes, and CDs are used. The type of music and volume are selected in order to provide a pleasant dining environment for students, staff, and guests. Personal stereos must have headsets or earphones when used within the dining facility. Personal TVs are not allowed within the dining facility.
Removal of Food—Dining together provides opportunities for students, college staff, and guests to visit and fellowship and is considered an important part of campus life. Boarding students are expected to eat in the dining facility whenever possible. However, if work or class schedules prevent adequate dining time, sack lunches or carry-out trays are available. Ask a Food Service staff member for assistance (see Sack Lunches and Refunds).
If you desire snacks between meals, the Larks Nest is located in Erb Hall Lounge and vending machines are located in various buildings around campus. The college provides disposable dinnerware for beverages and ice cream. You may take these items and fruit and dry breakfast items out of the cafeteria. Please do not remove other food or non-food items from the dining area. Take no more food than you will eat during meal time.
Special Catering Activities—Occasionally Food Service serves special meals for college-related or community events. At these times, menus and serving times for students may be revised in order to accommodate other activities. Thank you for your cooperation during these special occasions.
If you have experience as a banquet server and would like to work during these special occasions, contact the Food Service office.
Meal Prices for Guests and Commuting Students
Food Service invites parents, campus visitors, and non-boarding students to dine in the cafeteria. Food Service offers special prices to non-boarding students. Payment is made when entering the serving area.
Weekday Prices:
Guest Adult |
Child* |
Commuting Student |
||
| Breakfast: | $4.25 |
$3.00 |
$3.00 |
|
| Lunch: | $7.00 |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
|
| Supper: | $7.00 |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
|
| Thursday Supper: | $9.00 |
$6.25 |
$6.25 |
Weekend Prices:
Guest Adult |
Child* |
Commuting Student |
||
| Sat. Brunch: | $7.00 |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
|
| Sat. Supper: | $7.00 |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
|
| Sun. Breakfast: | $4.25 |
$3.00 |
$3.00 |
|
| Sun. Noon: | $9.75 |
$6.75 |
$6.75 |
|
| Sun. Supper: | $7.00 |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
* child prices are for children ages 5 through 12. Children under 5
eat free.
Understandings
Specific campus lifestyle standards are listed in the Residence Life section of this handbook. The Food Service department is committed to maintaining these standards. The Food Service director will work with the Student Life team and Student Development Committee in dealing with violations of campus lifestyle standards within the dining facility.
Eating in the dining facility is part of your college community experience and requires respect for others using the facility. Please be courteous, respect the rights of others, and use good manners and appropriate etiquette while dining.
Behaviors which disrupt the dining experience of others or cause problems for the Food Service staff are unacceptable. Inappropriate behaviors include throwing items within the dining, serving, or kitchen facility; creating messes which make the area unusable by others; tampering with food products or equipment; and displaying behavior which is offensive or disruptive.
The Food Service director and/or Student Life will deal with violations of policies and understandings. Consequences may include fines to cover the cost of damage, labor, or property loss or work assignments without compensation. Students violating these policies and understandings may be asked to participate in dialogue with those whom they have offended—an opportunity to reconcile differences and rebuild relationships.