I am writing in response to the article “Baristas to replace burritos at Warren” (March 28, p.1) and the staff editorial “Trading food for ‘bucks” (March 28, p. 4). The Dining Services staff is continually looking at ways to better serve and meet the needs of a diverse BU community. All decisions involving the removal or addition of food concepts on campus are carefully considered. Discussions about the Taco Bell and other commercial retail spaces near campus started a couple of years ago and included representatives of the Student Union (beginning with Jon Marker, former Student Union President) and the Dining Services Student Advisory Committee.
The decision to replace Taco Bell with Starbucks was in response to strong demand in recent years from students, faculty and staff from the College of Communication, College of Engineering and Life Sciences as well as the students taking classes in Morse Auditorium. To portray this process as rushed or without student input is simply inaccurate. The new Starbucks at 700 Commonwealth Ave. will accept Convenience Points, not Dining Points, as reported incorrectly by [focus-group participants to] The Daily Free Press. In order to get feedback from our students, Michelle Vitagliano, Dining Services marketing director, conducted focus groups with BU students in early March to help develop a dining online survey that will be sent in April to students, faculty and staff in the 700 Commonwealth Ave. area. The survey responses will help Dining Services determine the best new food concepts for the area’s current vacant retail space next to the Bank of America ATMs and a likely change to Ferretti’s.
A similar discussion group focusing on the Buick Street Market ‘ Cafe was also conducted in March and a survey will be sent shortly to the BU community west of the BU Bridge. Student dining expectations and needs will change in the fall of 2009 with the opening of the new residence in the Student Village. These survey results will assist the Dining staff in their efforts to best meet the needs of the students, faculty and staff in this area of the campus. For those of you who participated in the focus groups, thank you. Please look for the online surveys. Your opinion matters, so please take the time to respond.
Craig Hill
Associate vice president
for Auxiliary Services