An on-campus caféteria is a beneficial convenience to students and faculty, but only if they actually want to go there.

I have personally avoided the Sodexo café since Fall quarter, because the few times I went there I had unpleasant experiences. From a sandwich that was dated wrong and kept on the shelf past expiration to the rudeness of former staff, I learned quickly that I’m better off just packing a lunch for long class days and leaving Sodexo alone.

It shouldn’t be that way. I should be writing this as a huge rave about how amazing the food is, how friendly the service reps and cooks are, and how clean and organized the café is. I think the new management and staff are definitely a step in the right direction, but I’m not singing their praises just yet.

The Communicator staff posted a poll on our Facebook page recently so that faculty and students could weigh in on loving or hating Sodexo. While I realize this may not be the most accurate way to gauge the opinions of the 8900+ students at SFCC, I also noticed when I checked the poll that the “love it” option had gotten a lot less love than the “hate it” option.

The menu in the café is in serious need of some upgrades, especially with more students and faculty wanting to make healthier food choices these days. The new management at Sodexo has promised these changes, and to implement more healthy food choices for students to pick from.

And while some of us have strong, negative views of Sodexo, there are some benefits to having them on campus. Sodexo offers SFCC and SCC the option of inexpensive catering for events on & off campus, as well as customized menu options for events. The Communicator held an open house back in February, and Sodexo did a great job catering the event for us.

“To be honest, the prices compare nicely to their fast food rivals,” said She Thompson on The Communicator Facebook page. “The café variety is average, but… the more options they offer, the more likely the pricing will go up. (They) would be willing to hear your food requests to implement. So, instead of hating them, do something productive about it!”

So how can we make suggestions about the changes we want?

Get in touch with Jennie Sweet. She is the new manager at the SFCC location, and is happy to talk to students and faculty on how to improve services at Sodexo. She took the reins in September of 2012 and is hoping to make a lot of positive changes at the café.

I have hope for Sodexo, despite my past experiences and complaints. I think that new management can make better decisions. Not just new leadership, but new attitudes within that leadership that will inspire the staff to do their jobs better, and will inspire students and faculty to utilize our café again.