Newsletter No. 51

CUHK newsletter A new manager has recently been appointed to oversee the University Staff Common Room, The dining rooms have also been renovated and there is now more ample seating in the patio. The caterer providing meals at the Chung Chi College Staff Club operates under a franchise from the Hsin Kuang ( 新 光 ) Group of Restaurants. Response has been encouraging since the caterer started business last September. caterers on contract to the University. Wi th the exception of Chung Chi College, where staff and student dining is housed in two different buildings and therefore the catering shouldered by two contractors, the Benjamin Franklin Centre, New Asia, United and Shaw each provides a single kitchen for staff and students and is accordingly catered to by one contractor (the BFC Coffee Shop and Snack Bar, though, are separate operations from the Staff and Student Canteens). Caterers are usually awarded two-year contracts. They are supervised by the respective canteen committees which will also decide, when a contract is due to expire, whether the performance of the caterer has been satisfactory and worthy of a renewed contract. The committee will also be responsible for seeking the intention of the caterer as to whether he is willing to continue. Where a contract is not to be renewed upon expiry or, in exceptional circumstances, is to be terminated midstream, tenders w i ll be called and the University's bidding and selection procedure w i ll apply. In choosing a caterer, a canteen committee will carefully examine the types, variety and pricing of food proposed by the applicant, as well as his commitment to a good standard in hygiene and service. Experience in institutional catering is always a useful asset, but the ability to specialize in regional cuisines has never been an important factor. Suggestions and Complaints Feedback f r om customers is usually conveyed, verbally, to members of the canteen committee concerned, or deposited in suggestion boxes. It is a fact that most complaints have come from students; the main causes for dissatisfaction include high prices, slow service, inconsistent quality of food, unclean dining utensils and general grottiness in the canteens. On the whole complaints are relatively infrequent, and where possible the caterers are, according to some members of the canteen committees, qu i te w i l l i ng to make amends. However, there are also complaints which are subjective in nature and therefore difficult to act on, the classic cases being the over- or under- seasoning of a dish, or the thickness of the gravy. There had been objection to sugar being available, loose, in sugar boxes as it might thus be contaminated, but when the caterer introduced sugar in packets there was objection again, this time on environmentalist ground. Complaints that there are too few dishes to choose f r om are often received, but there are also suggestions that, rather than an extensive menu, the canteens should provide only a limited number of products to keep quality high and prices low. As far as suggestion for improvement is concerned there is one unanimous voice at New Asia College: it's difficult to find a seat at Yun Chi Hsien! The college authorities have taken heed of the popularity of the lunchtime noodles and work is now afoot to expand the premises, and to bring the seating capacity of the rooms up to 90. CUHK NEWSLETTER We welcome your contributions 1. Items for the next issue (mid-March 1994) should reach the Editor by 25th February 1994. 2. All contributions and suggestions should be sent to the Editor, CUHK Newsletter, c/o the Publication O f f i c e , University Secretariat, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (tel. 6097297; fax. 6035503). 3. Contributions should bear the writer's name and contact telephone number, and may be published under pseudonyms. Articles without Chinese translations will appear in the English version of the Newsletter only. No anonymous letters will be published. 4. The Editor reserves the right to reject contributions and to edit all articles for reasons of clarity, length or grammar. Those who do not wish to have their articles amended should indicate clearly in writing. 5. No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced without the written consent of the Editor. 6. This publication has a circulation of 1,600 and is primarily intended for staff members of CUHK. Copies are also sent to local educational institutions and individuals associated with the University. Those who wish to be included on the mailing list please contact the Newsletter direct. Published by the Publication Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Editor: Amy K. Y. Leung Assistant Editors : Lawrence Choi; Florence Chan Graphic Artist: Stella P. C. Lai NO.51 FEBRUARY 1994 8