Food Services Is Rewarding For Students and Staff Alike

By Jonathan Tonge
The Red & Black
July 05, 2001

Students aren't the only ones noticing the unique program that Food Services offers.

J. Michael Floyd, the department's head, received a leadership award Monday, presented by Food Management Magazine.

"The award was given mainly because of our attention to marketing with our Web site, literature and special events," Floyd said. "Most other universities require their students to buy their meal plans. Because ours is completely voluntary, we have to market the dining halls to our students."

A portion of this marketing includes renovations to Snelling Dining Hall on Sanford Drive.

"Giorgio's Pizza, our deli and our grill in Snelling were in the same line and became so popular," Floyd said, "that students were sometimes waiting up to half an hour in line for their food."

He said the three stations are going to be broken up and made more accessible to reduce the lines. A vegetarian station, an omelet station and 160 seats will also be installed at Snelling.

Since Floyd's arrival at the University in 1986, the sale of seven-day meal plans has increased 350 percent, according to the department's statistics. About 3,800 students purchased the plan during the 2000-2001 school year.

Floyd said one of the reasons for the popularity of the seven-day plan is the University's expansion of weekend options, even though many other schools are doing away with weekend dining.

"We have our premium menus on the weekend, and the Sunday buffet is excellent," he said.

Floyd said Food Services is constantly looking to improve their product. For example, Bolton Hall was completely renovated last year.

Another improvement made under Floyd's direction was moving operations online. Students can now pay for and validate their meal plans via the department's Web site.

"We try to create a special environment for the students here," Floyd said. "The dining halls are a social place, a place to meet people. We really want students to feel that they have a second home at the University."

Since his arrival 15 years ago, Floyd has also accumulated 41 Loyal E. Horton Menu Awards from the National Association of College and University Food Services -- the most of any university in the United States, according to a press release. Floyd garnered nine of these awards at his previous job at Valdosta State University.

Last year, University Food Services won three of the 41 awards given out.

The department received first and second place for special event/theme dining with "Dinner on the Wild Side" and "Good for You Gourmet," respectively.