Burlington, Vermont - October 12, 2011
"Our dining plan is very clear that it's unlimited while you are in this particular facility. So it's not about a full, free-for-all takeout," said Melissa Zelazny, the general manager of Sodexho.
But fruit, juice, silverware and salt and pepper shakers continued to vanish from the University of Vermont's Harris Millis dining hall until the university banned backpacks.
"We had some students bringing in Tupperware containers and filling up food to be taken out," Zelazny said. "We're missing salt and pepper shakers and equipment."
Zelazny heads food services for UVM. She says the university had no choice but to outlaw the bags. Since the start of the school year these thefts have sent food costs sky high. Sodexo orders food based upon how much kids eat in a typical sitting. But she says that number is impossible to calculate when students start illegally taking an inordinate amount of food to go.
"It was just getting to the point where we were running out of food for the late night dinner option and late night dinner," she said.
She says the thefts are particularly frustrating because the university already has a built-in option for kids who crave takeout even after their all-you-can-eat meal in the cafeteria. Included in the unlimited meal plan, students have access to the "Simply-to-Go" station. It allows students to take two meals each day on the run, free of charge.
Backpack security is the biggest concern for diners who now have to leave their bags unattended in a cubby area outside the cafeteria or stowed behind the register with the cashier.
"Students shouldn't be stealing, but at the same time they should have the ability to take their bags into the cafeteria with them because leaving it out here leaves it not only open to theft, but they market the cafeteria as a place to study as well as hang out and that's hard to do when all your stuff is outside," said Dennis Mahoney, a sophomore.
The ban's been in place about three weeks and although the policy is unpopular, the savings are staggering. The university goes through half as many apples and one-third fewer bananas. They've had to order 75 percent less Powerade and go through nearly half as many cases of juice.
Sophomore CharlieDan Sheffy doesn't like the inconvenience of having to lug around his laptop, but he doesn't blame the university.
"I don't think that it's the university's fault," he said. "I think they were reacting to a situation that clearly must have been a problem."
UVM is considering extending the ban to its two other unlimited dining facilities. Officials say they do need to work out a few kinks-- like where the bags will be stored-- but they hope to have the policy in place by next semester.
