Arthur wanted to see what students thought of the current arrangement under Aramark. Specifically, we wanted to see what the experience was like for international students who are used to a different cuisine.
After speaking with the Secretary of the Trent International Student Association, Virginia Chamunorwa, we were able to gain some insight into what it was like for these students. The first concern is that the food is seen to be expensive on campus. Understandably, students who are already paying exorbitantly high fees for tuition would rather save some extra cash wherever they can.
There is also a concern about the variety of food available to students. One example was the lack of Halal options on-campus. International students find it disconcerting that a school like Trent, with such a high percentage of the student population being international, does not make more effort to incorporate a wider range of food options.
Apart from the type of food that is served, students have an issue with the accessibility of the meals during the day. It seems that the time slots allotted for breakfast, lunch and dinner may not cater to all lifestyles on campus. There is also the matter of cafeteria hours on weekends. Students, not just international, have an issue with the closure of the West Bank cafeterias (Champlain and Lady Eaton) on weekends, which forces them to walk across the bridge to get food. This seems to be an inconvenience, especially during the cold winter months.
