By Emily Schoch | Staff writer
After 68 years of Aramark Dining Services within the Baylor dining halls, a big change came. On June 1, Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services took over as the new leader in food service management on campus.
In May of 2023, the new strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds, was born. It was developed by a team of Baylor executives, including co-chairs Provost Brickhouse and Chief of Staff Tiffany Hogue.
Curtis Reynolds, chief financial officer of Baylor University, said the change in food suppliers was related to the new strategic plan. All aspects of Baylor are being improved, including the productivity, efficiency and quality within the dining halls, Reynolds said.
“I think it was just sort of almost like a forerunner of the plan. When you think about what’s next, you look at your infrastructure, components, dining facilities, institutional infrastructure [and] becoming an R1 institution,” Reynolds said
The strategic plan was created in order to improve Baylor as a whole, from improving Baylor’s R1 research facilities and following its Christian values to improving the quality of food within the dining halls.
“All ships must rise. So you begin to look across the institution operationally, academically and from a support mechanism, and make sure you have the best in-class program to support the initiative going forward,” Reynolds said.
Chartwells Higher Education Is a well-known leading food supply company on over 300 college campuses.
“The change came from the campus environment. I understand that your prior provider had been here 30 or more years. [We] arrived at a point where it’s time for change,” Reynolds said.
Though Aramark had been with Baylor a long time, change can be a good thing, Reynolds said.
“Change was anticipated to be a great thing for the institution to go to the next level as it relates to the quality of the product that the students receive on a daily basis, the nutrition and helping manage the cost of that product back to the student,” Reynolds said.
Amarillo sophomore Samantha Wilhelm said she has eaten in dining halls with both food providers. Wilhelm said the new food in the dining halls is noticeably healthier and seems cleaner. Wilhelm said her experience changed a lot from freshman to sophomore year, and that it’s now much better with the new providers.
“Now as a sophomore I’ve been able to experience the change in the dining hall vendors,” Wilhelm said. “Already within the first few weeks, I have noticed there are more healthy, fresh options available to students. It’s been great feeling like I can go and get a quick healthier meal instead of having to eat fast food or a microwavable dinner. So far, I’ve been impressed by the vendor switch.”
