University of Calgary students and staff will need to eat earlier in the spring and summer as Chartwells gets set to reduce its summer hours.
While Alberta Union of Provincial Employee listserv emails suggested the reduced hours do not adequately provide services for staff or students taking classes in the spring and summer, Chartwells maintains that the reduced number of students on campus during the summer doesn’t necessitate longer hours.
“Most of the time by about 3 o’clock in the afternoon it is very, very quiet,” said Food Services senior director Jan Morel. “There is not much activity during the evenings.”
She added that this summer Chartwells will be keeping the dining center open for the first time.
“This is the first summer we are able to do this,” said Morel. “[It will be] open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone can come in. It is not just open for groups.”
This is the second year Chartwells has operated campus food services, but reduced summer hours occurred under previous ownership as well.
“When Food Services was university-owned and operated they did reduce the number of kiosks as well as the hours,” said Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Local 52 chair Shirley Maki. “It appears to me that [Chartwells’ summer hours are] fairly typical to the hours that have been available in the last couple of years. This is perhaps a little more reduced.”
Despite the reduced hours, Chartwells will not have to lay off many employees, said Morel.
“Most of our staff [who work] later on in the day and on weekends are part-time workers who are students,” said Morel. “They are mostly international students who go home during the summer.”
Most food service outlets will be closed by 4 p.m. during the week and 1 p.m. on weekends over the summer.