This year, Troy University’s students get a chance to directly communicate with Trojan Dining and submit their own ideas.
Co-chairs of the Food Advisory Council of Troy, Maxwell Herman, a junior hospitality management major from Panama City Beach, Florida, and Elizabeth Chisholm, a senior human resources major from Panama City, Florida, hosted their first meeting of the semester Wednesday, Sept. 9.
According to its flier, FACT is an organization “for those interested in voicing their input on Trojan Cuisine.”
FACT is a student-run committee partnered with Troy Dining Services to give students an opportunity to assert their opinions on the conditions in the Trojan Dining Hall and dining options in the Trojan Center food court.
Sheetal Nangia, marketing manager for Trojan Dining Services and Troy alumna, she said she remembered what it was like having to dine at Stewart Hall, fondly recalled as “Old Stewart.”
“I’ve seen Troy grow a lot since I’ve been here, and I’m so glad to be a part of it,” Nangia said.
Nangia explained exactly what FACT is and why students might want to join.
“Basically, we get together a couple of times a semester, and you voice your concerns about your dining facilities,” Nangia said. “There is a management team to answer questions, concerns and, hopefully, make some great things happen together.”
Mohammed Alsaid, senior business major from Saudi Arabia and intern for Trojan Dining Services, encouraged students to participate in opportunities that could better their dining experience.
Trojan Dining Services offers two surveys per semester that students can take to give feedback about their experience as Troy University students.
The first survey asks students their opinions about Trojan Dining Hall and Trojan Center’s dining options.
“We get your feedback to improve, to change,” Alsaid said. “I would like to encourage as many people as possible to do the surveys.”
The second survey is a QLS, or quality of life service survey. The survey asks students about their experiences at Troy and possible improvements that could be made.
Alsaid also encourages students to participate in the “Bobbing for Apples” sweepstakes where students can win one of the 24 prizes; the grand prize is an Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch. To enter, students can visit http://www.fallalfrescosweepstakes.com.
Chisholm introduced a subcommittee called “Mystery Shoppers” where students can apply to go undercover and evaluate the food.
The goal of “Mystery Shoppers” is to have students given something specific to order at one of the various dining locations and take mental notes of customer service, speed of service, accuracy of the order and anything else notable about the facility.
The feedback is then given to the staff in an effort to help identify problems and work toward eliminating them.
“People complain about the food all the time and the service, but no one really knows how to get out there and get their voice heard, and this is exactly the place to do it,” Chisholm said.
All the speakers urged students to take action when it comes to their personal dining experiences.
“There is a lot of really, really great things that are happening with your dining services, and we really want you to be a part of that,” Nangia said.
FACT is holding its next meeting Monday, Sept. 28, in Faculty Dining, upstairs in the Trojan Dining Hall, at 1:45 p.m. for any and all concerned students.
For students who would like to stay informed about Troy Dining Services, it can be followed on Instagram as troydiningservices, on Twitter as DiningTROY and on Facebook as Troy Dining.
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