UMass Dartmouth will unveil a new student dining experience, including a $1.6 million transformation of its resident dining hall on Friday, Sept. 2, at 3 p.m., just days before thousands of students descend on campus for the 2011-2012 academic year.
The remodeling of the dining hall is among the commitments that new food service vendor Chartwells made when winning the contract to manage UMass Dartmouth's $11 million food services enterprise. The comprehensive 10-month public bidding process included broad-based feedback from students, faculty and staff.
The new program will be Chartwells' first "Pulse On Dining" initiative in Massachusetts, which is based on detailed research into the preferences and traits of Millennials and Generation Z.
Features include: service options ranging from self-prepared to restaurant-style, cameras and video monitors showing how food is prepared, a sustainability effort that includes paperless menus and turning grease into bio-fuels; and food grown within five miles of campus.
UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack, Chartwells CEO Steve Sweeney, and Student Government Association President Joseph Mello will be among the speakers at the event.
Following a brief speaking program and ribbon-cutting, guests will be able to sample the food that will be served to students this year and learn more about the University/Chartwell's partnership.