5 coronavirus things: Students petition for meal plan refund after only dining hall closes

In this special edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments regarding coronavirus and its impact on onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

With coronavirus driving remote working, the number of Americans planning to move may be up to four times what it normally would be, with anywhere from 14 to 23 million migrating, according to this study. Among its findings are that 20.6% of those planning to move are currently based in a major city and 54.7% are moving over two hours away or more from their current location, making daily commutes to offices much less likely and reducing the potential customer base for onsite dining in those offices.

Read more: Economist Report: Remote Workers on the Move

Seventy-two food and environmental service workers laid off by contract firm Compass One at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Connecticut have been rehired by the hospital as its own employees, along with pay increases. They also keep their current budgeted hours and their years of service to Compass One for retirement and vacation will be honored, the hospital said. Compass One continues to provide management services at the facility, however.

Related:5 coronavirus things: Free/reduced meal applications drop despite growing poverty

Read more: Food workers hired by Charlotte Hungerford Hospital no longer contracted

Students at Quinnipiac University’s North Haven campus are petitioning for a refund of their remaining fall 2020 semester meal plans after the campus’s only dining hall shut down on Oct. 5 due to a 70% shortfall in traffic. The North Haven campus is home to the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs in medicine, law, nursing, health sciences and education. Students at the campus are required to purchase a meal plan, which currently is $185 a semester. The petition has amassed over 100 signatures.

Read more: North Haven students are unhappy with dining hall closure

Vanderbilt University launched an indoor dining pilot on Nov. 2 at its Sarratt Student Center, Rand Hall and Central Library Community Room venues, with expansion to The Commons Center Dining Room before the end of the fall semester planned. All dining furniture at the locations have been arranged to accommodate eight feet of physical distance, individual stays will be limited to 20 minutes and diners are asked to wipe down their table with provided disinfectant wipes before and after each use. Staff will also wipe the areas down at regular intervals.

Related:Consistency, convenience and comfort for senior residents

Read more: Vanderbilt University pilots indoor dining on campus

While concession outlets at University of Missouri Tigers home football games at Memorial Stadium have adhered to COVID-19-imposed guidelines, traditional food code violations have jumped with health department inspectors finding 68 violations this year compared with 52 at the first three home games in 2019. Ed Gilaty, senior vice president of risk management and sanitation for Memorial Stadium concessionaire Levy Restaurants, said the company has corrected all violations.

Read more: Officials say Mizzou football games COVID-19 safe, but concession stand violations increase

Bonus: Take a tour of Chartwells Higher Ed’s new Kent Café at SUNY Plattsburg

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]