Among student concerns over Emory Dining and Sodexo, University officials assure that both entities are continuing to listen to students and institute changes.

Sodexo was chosen as Emory’s food service provider in 2004, replacing Aramark, who served Emory for approximately 17 years.

Per past contractual obligations, Sodexo was required to invest in capital improvement, Vice President of Finance and Administration Michael Mandl wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel.

Associate Vice President of Campus Life and Interim Director of the Dobbs University Center (DUC) Ronald Taylor wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel that Sodexo has currently invested $7.083 million in a commitment to update Emory’s food service infrastructure.

An additional $250,000 is pending for the Starbucks that is slated to open at the new Emory bookstore site on Oxford road next year.

The money expended by Sodexo has helped establish new dining locations such as the Einstein’s at the Goizeuta Business School and renovations including those at the Turman Deli, the Clairmont Student Activity and Academic Center, the DUC and Cox Hall, Taylor wrote.

Taylor added that while Emory would have been able to finance these improvements independently, contracting with Sodexo provided a more efficient route.

“Emory felt it advantageous to structure the contract this way since it would align the food service contractor investments with what was most needed for improvement,” Taylor wrote. “Emory could have paid for these costs directly, but this approach was a better structure for us since it provided additional capital improvements for the campus while funded by the provider.”

Contractual arrangements such as Emory’s current contract with Sodexo are standard practice, Mandl wrote.

Sodexo’s capital expenditures become amortized over 10 years, he added. This means that Sodexo commits an amount of money upon contract for capital improvements to Emory.

However, if Sodexo leaves Emory before the 10-year time period, the vendor is reimbursed for the number of years that remained in the ten-year amortization period. The continuing vendor would be expected to pick up the remaining fees and continue to pay for capital improvements.

“There is no concern on Emory’s part about this issue, as it doesn’t factor into the decision as to which food service to provide on campus, since Emory would require any new provider to pay for this unamortized amount,” Mandl wrote.

In essence, the new contractor would pay for the continuation of the capital improvements that were initiated by the former food service provider.

Therefore, Taylor said that Emory would not have lost any money had the University not renewed Sodexo’s contract in June and that both Sodexo and Emory continue to hold a strong interest in student concerns.

“To the best of my knowledge, there’s been no lack of interest or listening to the students,” Taylor said. “We have a great priority in taking in student input and responding in a positive way.”

— Contact Kate Borger