Do you realize that many boarding students at Chonnam National University (CNU) constantly complain about their meals? In fact, complaints about meals provided in CNU residence halls have been on-going for a long time now but these complaints mostly go through unofficial channels. Why do residence hall officers not change anything? Is it true that food expenses account for almost 70~80% of total boarding expenses? Couldn’t a meal-coupon system be enforced? Chonnam Tribune investigated the issue of meal service provided in CNU residence halls.
Most residence hall students know that meal costs make up 70~80% of boarding expenses. According to residence hall data, the residence hall’s yearly income was 3,439,379,588 won and its expenditure was 2,189,838,990 won for meals in 2005. Compared with other national universities, the unit price of a meal at CNU residence halls, 1,500 won, is not expensive. (See the table below)
Name of University Price for a unit meal
Chonnam National University 1,500 won
Kyungbook National University 1,480 won
Pusan National University 1,600 won
Chonbuk National University 1,410 won
Kongju National University (in Cheonan) 1,900 won
Besides the number of cooks outnumber other universities’ by about two or three per residence according to CNU residence hall’s section chief (SC), Kim Yong-joo, the restaurant’s problems seem not to be institutionalized.
However, boarding students still don’t feel satisfied with their meals. What is the cause of this problem? To find out students’ opinions, CNU residence hall authorities conducted a customer satisfaction survey of resident students in November 2004. Freshmen and sophomores comprised over 60% of the respondents, and 28.7% of them ate meals less than 50 times out of 90. This figure shows that many respondents were students who no longer stayed in residence halls. Furthermore, they tend to complain within a certain time period, after about two or three months of the start of a new term. The result of this survey shows that boarding students have always been dissatisfied with meals. They seem to complain about the food when they are sick and tired of residence hall meals. As we get too used to a meal, it doesn’t taste as good as the first time. As time goes by, students complain that these meals taste bad. Additionally, they think menus should change regularly, but the food is so similar each time. In relation to this, Park Hyung-mee, one residence hall dietician said, “I know students complain that we changed some menus without notice, but sometimes unavoidable situations happen. I have designed a menu based on calories and nutritional balance per month, so it might have overlapped by mistake. What I really want to say is that all of the restaurant members including me do our best. I want students to complain in more detail – when and what was not good – because sometimes I feel jammed. They talk too abstractly and vaguely and don’t tell me directly. I know it’s hard to do that, but I want them to talk to their authority assistants.”
So far, se were talked about the problems of meals. Students suggest a meal-coupon system to solve them. It sounds sweet but it also has a dangerous side. At present, the restaurant is under the direct management of the residence hall. If a meal-coupon system is introduced, it means residence hall officers no longer manage practical things and other enterprises could now operate them. As a new enterprise manages the restaurant, the quality of food may become even lower than at present. Ultimately the aim of any private enterprise is to make a profit. Thus, they may buy cheaper ingredients. This would result in a lower quality of food no matter how well it is cooked. There is also another problem. Let’s hear from the General Student Council (GSC) which promised to improve the quality of residence hall meals and introduce a meal-coupon system. Jang Hyun-kwon, of the Independence Promotion Committee in charge of the GSC said, “A meal-coupon system was one of our election pledges which we wished to put in place, but it is more complicated than we had thought. It causes a problem with labor unions in residence halls. However, we will try to listen to them and cooperate with registered student unions.”
A meal-coupon system and meal quality issues are inter-linked with so many other things, that substantial changes cannot be implemented immediately. However, from a long-term perspective, some of the issues could well be resolved. The officers and students need to understand each other and basically seek ways to solve these issues. Students need to express their opinions in more detail to chief assistants or submit them on-line. The relevant authorities also need to try to listen more to their students’ voices. If such progress is made, mealtime can become a very happy time.