As many people have discovered this week, an outrage of perhaps epic proportions has happened upon the campus of Washburn. Some would say it is the renewal of the Chartwells contract to provide their “food” services for the next decade. I concur with whoever would say that it is an outrage, but more so, I feel there is an even greater injustice in this situation…the inability of the Washburn administration to listen to the voice of the student body.

There is a deeper issue here than Chartwells alone, the pure and blatant disregard for not involving students in a decision that will affect this campus for years to come. The WTE has been bad enough. There have been serious issues raised recently on campus over the issue of food services. A food services committee was being founded to ensure food quality, price, and options that students could find palatable. Instead over spring break, behind closed doors, the contract that students had a right to discuss was decided for them. Secretly. The administration cannot feign ignorance, they simply ignored their students.

Perhaps they saw it as the most economically feasible way to go about it. After all Chartwells does make Washburn a decent amount of money. Ironically, so does tuition. Tuition that students happen to pay. Oh yeah, I forgot. Students have to pay for that meal plan, too. Anyone ever hear of customer service?

We deserve, and I now state, we demand a voice on this issue. The monopoly and unfair prices, taxing any outside food brought onto campus, as well as a corrupt system to defraud students via the required meal plans has to stop. We need more options on this campus, it is that simple.

I ask any Ichabod who is disturbed by this trend to join me. We demand a renegotiation of this new Chartwells contract. Today’s Kansas second graders who will attend Washburn will be bound to dine at Chartwells without benefit of the voice of today’s students. As a graduating senior and WSGA senator who originally campaigned on the platform of dealing with the food services, it shall be my final act upon this campus. The time for a traditional food service committee is over, they decided that, when an unfair deal behind closed doors was done. If we don’t act now, it is final. I ask you to contact me. We will organize! Let’s rise up and protest this, for all Ichabods, present and future.

Signed,

Phil Norris,

WSGA Senator

(785) 220-2835

[email protected]