Food Service Contractors, Student Participation in Selection and Monitoring

 

 

Purpose:

 

Policy to provide student input into the selection, retention, and performance of food service contractors

 

Date Approved:

 

August 14, 1997 (Editorially amended September 2000)

 

Background:

 

The 75th Texas Legislature added Section 51.945 to the Texas Education Code to be effective September 1, 1997.  The Act required that a governing board of an institution of higher education develop and implement policies that provide for students at the institution to have an opportunity to appear before a committee or other entity that determines whether a food service provider should be selected or retained.  The new law also stated that a contract with a food service provider shall include a provision for periodic student input into the performance of the contractor.  Similar to other policy delegations, the implementation of this Regental policy was delegated to the presidents and the appropriate Executive Vice Chancellor.

 

 

Student Participation in Selection
and Monitoring of Food Service Contractors

 

 

I.       As required by the Texas Education Code Section 51.945, each U. T. System general academic component institution and each health component institution which offers degree programs shall include as part of the respective institutional Handbook of Operating Procedures by December 1, 1997, a policy and procedure for student participation in the selection and monitoring of food service vendors which contract to provide regular and ongoing food or beverage services for students.  The policies, at a minimum, shall provide for:

 

A.      Meaningful input from student patrons in the initial selection or the renewal of a contract of a food service vendor, including input in the development of desired qualifications of food service providers.

 

B.      Inclusion in a food service contract of a commitment by the vendor to hold periodic meetings or forums for student patrons to discuss the performance of the food service provider.

 

II.       The policies are intended to cover contracts for food and beverage services located in or in conjunction with student unions, residence halls, or campus-wide cafeterias, and contracts for vending machine food and beverage services.  Contracts with vendors for concessions at athletic facilities, food services for special events, hospital food services, or faculty/staff dining facilities do not require policies for student involvement.

 

III.      The institutional policies and procedures which implement this requirement are subject to approval by the appropriate Executive Vice Chancellor for inclusion in the institutional Handbook of Operating Procedures.

 

 

Last reviewed September 2000