2008 Woodie Awards
Opposition to Sodexho unites students
Adam Jung
Issue date: 1/9/06 Section: Forum
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In the early morning hours of Dec. 12 an e-mail titled "Stop Sodexho Now" was sent out to every student at UMKC from an anonymous student called "No Sodexho." This e-mail stated that the administration had "ignore(ed) the wishes of UMKC's students" and decided to renew the contract with Sodexho.
The email also directed students to contact key administrators and sign a petition opposing this decision.
Hours later over 500 students had signed the petition. Within 24 hours, that number would rise to nearly 1,000. The administration, having made the decision on the last regularly scheduled day of the semester, was understandably flustered by this mass response.
I do not think the administration anticipated having to deal with a large student opposition on the eve of winter break.
Around noon that day, I received a call from another student informing me Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mel Tyler wanted to meet with students. As one of many students who had vocally opposed Sodexho for the past year, I was asked to attend. The rapidly growing petition and nearly 300 e-mails to administrators had convinced the administration maybe it was time to listen to us.
At the meeting, the administration refused to change their decision, claiming legal requirements to award the new five-year contract to Sodexho. However, due to the large mobilization of students on the issue the administrators present-Tyler and Director of Business Affairs Paris Saunders-did commit to various actions to address student concerns. A third man present never introduced himself or said a word; he seemed upset and honestly, kind of creepy.
The administration agreed to the following actions: first, Tyler stated he would pass on all e-mails and the petition to Sodexho and ask them to address the concerns. Second, a public "Memorandum of Understanding" would be sought declaring what was demanded of Sodexho by the student body. Finally, the administration would contact University of Missouri legal for advice on how to include provisions in the contract allowing a binding evaluation by students each semester. Included would be the authority to end the contract and a code of conduct that could raise Sodexho worker wages and thus the quality of service.
The email also directed students to contact key administrators and sign a petition opposing this decision.
Hours later over 500 students had signed the petition. Within 24 hours, that number would rise to nearly 1,000. The administration, having made the decision on the last regularly scheduled day of the semester, was understandably flustered by this mass response.
I do not think the administration anticipated having to deal with a large student opposition on the eve of winter break.
Around noon that day, I received a call from another student informing me Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mel Tyler wanted to meet with students. As one of many students who had vocally opposed Sodexho for the past year, I was asked to attend. The rapidly growing petition and nearly 300 e-mails to administrators had convinced the administration maybe it was time to listen to us.
At the meeting, the administration refused to change their decision, claiming legal requirements to award the new five-year contract to Sodexho. However, due to the large mobilization of students on the issue the administrators present-Tyler and Director of Business Affairs Paris Saunders-did commit to various actions to address student concerns. A third man present never introduced himself or said a word; he seemed upset and honestly, kind of creepy.
The administration agreed to the following actions: first, Tyler stated he would pass on all e-mails and the petition to Sodexho and ask them to address the concerns. Second, a public "Memorandum of Understanding" would be sought declaring what was demanded of Sodexho by the student body. Finally, the administration would contact University of Missouri legal for advice on how to include provisions in the contract allowing a binding evaluation by students each semester. Included would be the authority to end the contract and a code of conduct that could raise Sodexho worker wages and thus the quality of service.
