By Paige Comeau ’26
Staff Writer
On Tuesday, April 25, senate opened with a reading of the agenda, which included a discussion with an executive of Dining Services, E-Board updates, open floor and senator/senior appreciation. Following a brief welcome, the senate gave the floor to Geoffrey Searl, associate vice president for Auxiliary Services at Mount Holyoke. Searl introduced himself by remarking that he was new to the school, having only started in January, and highlighting some of his accomplishments thus far. Notably, Searl has worked to reopen many of the dining services closed due to the pandemic; he cited the Pub, the Deli and the implementation of reusable dishes as some of his biggest accomplishments. After this introduction, Searl moved on to discuss some questions senators had submitted.
The first group of questions were regarding Dining Services’ sustainability. One senator asked about the Dining Commons’ composting process. Searl stated that the bulk of the organic waste produced by the Commons is sorted into compostable containers that are taken away regularly by haulers to composting facilities. He also noted that while 40 to 50 percent of waste is produced by the kitchen), the rest is post-consumer food waste. Another senator asked if it was possible to phase out the single-use plastic aprons with reusable ones. Searl replied that it was already in progress, and he hopes to have entirely fabric aprons by the fall semester. A third student wondered if there were any available statistics on water consumption, to which Searl replied that he did not think there were. However, he shared that as they are Green Restaurant certified, they do have to fit into certain metrics as far as things like water consumption go. The student also asked if there was a way to reuse water so it isn’t wasted. Searl stated that he was unsure, but he would look into it.
Further questions had to do with various dining initiatives. A senator asked if there was a way to create a community vegetable and herb garden to be used in Blanch and the Golden Pear Kitchens. Searl noted that the Dining Commons has an herb cultivator, which is currently in the process of being repaired. He stated that if they invested in such an initiative, they would have to get special permission from the town and the health department. A second student asked why the dishes in Blanch were not microwavable. Searl replied that he knew the dishes could not be heated to a certain temperature, but he was not sure how long in the microwave would result in an issue. He assured students that he would look into it. While they were on the topic, he discussed the USEFULL Containers, which he knew were a contested subject around campus. While the USEFULL containers are not necessarily ideal, he remarked, he believed that they were the right thing for MHC since they are sustainable and permanent. During this time, a senator raised a question about the USEFULL drop-off locations and wondered if there was a possibility of creating more around campus. Searl responded by saying that it was something that he’d like to implement and that he liked the idea of having one near Kendade Hall or the Frances Perk café, where the dining staff is already located. Another senator wanted to know why the Kosher station was not allowed to give out paper plates. Searl responded that dining services would really like to get rid of paper plates altogether, but have to use them for Kosher to ensure no cross-contamination. Due to this, they would prefer to use as little as possible and therefore do not allow the Kosher station to give them out.
The third group of questions were regarding higher-level decisions. One senator wanted to know how Dining Services was working to hire new people. Searl declared that when he arrived, the dining staff had 28 vacancies, which is just around 30 to 35 percent of their team. Their big battle, he commented, is the fact that they employ seasonally. However, Dining Services is currently working with a new agency to put workers in place either temporarily or permanently. Another student asked what Dining Services was doing to combat food supply issues. Searl stated that the Dining Hall used to have limited food storage, but has expanded their storage and are now able to combat supply chain issues by buying in bulk. He explained that to insulate themselves from such issues, they would have to predict the shortage before it hit, which is something that they are working on. A senator then asked what was being done to mediate food quality issues and asked about where to report these issues. Searl assured students that many safety measures were being taken, such as taking temperatures and samples of every meal. Moreover, every employee receives food and allergen safety training. He asked that if anyone has a concern with the food, to bring it to a manager or email the Dining Services team. He also emphasized that if someone is afraid they have food poisoning, they should go right to the health center and make sure they get the help they need. Another question was presented about what the Dining Services’ team was doing to better accommodate people with allergies and other dietary concerns. Searl mentioned that he believed Dining Services was already doing a good job of meeting these needs, but is certainly going to evaluate the menus over the summer to see what can be made more inclusive. He also stated that it is all about a good balance between accessibility, affordability and appetite. As for questions on food variety, Searl continuously stated that the Dining Services staff is working on expanding variety, but notes that some students simply prefer plain food, and therefore it must be served.
There were two more questions regarding rushes and food supply. One senator asked if there was anything being done to combat the lunch rush, to which Searl replied that he understood how much of an issue it is and is looking into options to help subdue the activity. These options include new wash room technology to help improve the hold-up at the dish return, looking into changing the seating arrangements to be more productive and opening new USEFULL drop box locations to mediate the bottleneck in the front of the dining hall.
After thanking Searl for answering senate questions and presenting on the state of Dining Services, senate moved on to E-Board updates, which included a new fund proposal for senate. Senators asked questions and debated the fund proposal before voting on it. Senate then moved to open floor, where a few announcements were made by different organizations, but no questions or concerns were raised. The session ended with a message appreciating senators for their hard work this year. After senate ended, the E-Board stated, they would be holding a small ceremony to appreciate and acknowledge the seniors, which senators were welcome to stay for.