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COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

November 15, 1963

Mr. Albert F. Jordan Superintendent of Insurance Department of Insurance Government of the District of Columbia Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Jordan:

A prompt reply to your letter of October 30, making inquiry concerning the College messing establishment, has been delayed both because I have been overwhelmed with detail and because I wished to have some first-hand information concerning the cafeteria.

I have no doubt but that there is a basis for some of the com- plaints that are made from time to time concerning the cafeteria, and we are trying constantly both to improve the facilities and reduce the cost. The operations of the dining hall are closely supervised. Daily inspec- tions are made by the College and the Department of Public Health makes of them as a matter of routine at intervals of several weeks. The reports of the Department of Health have been uniformly good. We have a student food committee which meets weekly to review student complaints and to make suggestions with respect to the improvement of the messing facilities.

Many of the statement regarding the dining hall are exaggerated and certain of them are not correct. The dining hall has not been leased nor is it operated as a concession. As is the ease with every institution, the problem of providing food is an exceedingly difficult one. In an effort to improve the messing facilities, we studied the problem for months, con- sulted numerous food accountants, and finally decided to engage a nationally known food concern to operate the commons for the College. The College controls the policy, prices, and operation of the establishment and pays management fee for its operation.

Statements that the food in the commons is of poor quality and poorly prepared are greatly exaggerated. Two experienced and well-trained chefs and a professional dietician are employed. A variety of not less than twenty-five vegetables in any single week are served as a part of the regular menu along with two choices of entrees at both luncheon and dinner in the main cafeteria. In addition, a coffee shop is operated which enables the students to eat at odd hours. The coffee shop serves a variety of sandwiches, fried chicken, shrimp, etc., to order. There are long lines at times. Obviously, the problem of serving approximately 4,000 meals a day with peak loads at times of about 1,500 within a period of two hours requires that food in the cafeteria sections be prepared in large quantities and makes long lines inevitable.