AURORA - Students and staff who dine daily at the Wells College main dining hall or cafes may notice a change at the start of the 2010 spring semester.

The college is planning to terminate its contract with Sodexo, the food services company that has a decades-long relationship as its dining services provider. The Aurora Inn, wholly owned by the college, will take over management next year.

Ann Rollo, vice president for communications and college relations, said the decision to switch to in-house management was based on providing good service to students and making smart financial choices.

“(The switch) just helps us be more financially balanced and more financially responsible,” Rollo said. “It simply changes the financial structure so we're not paying that cash out to an external enterprise.”

The cash Rollo referred to could be as much as several hundred thousand dollars, she said. That is the administration's expectation of the financial savings the switch might bring.

“It absolutely is a financial benefit,” Rollo said. “(It also allows for) local decision making and fast and easy input.”

Besides the financial aspect, the administration believes the switch will be good for students. The ultimate goal is to work out an agreement with other Wells-owned eateries and stores - the Fargo, the Market and Dorie's Cafe - so that students can use their meal plans at those locations, said Anne Lundquist, dean of students. Also, with the Aurora Inn managing dining services, it is hoped that students might be able to do internships for the inn, said Rollo. They could have opportunities to gain experience in the food service industry.

“We think it'll be an excellent experience for our students,” said Rollo.

Rollo said that it is expected that students and staff might feel concerned for the current Sodexo employees who could potentially lose their jobs.

“Faculty, students and staff care for those people and are concerned for their future,” Rollo said. “It is natural for us all to feel concerned. We want the best for the people we've come to know.”

Rollo said it is still too early to know whether or not individual people will lose their jobs.

Lundquist said that students might have thought that all Sodexo employees would lose their jobs.

“This is not the case,” she said. “Quite a few of those people are eligible to apply and are likely to be hired (by the Aurora Inn).”

Sue Edinger, general manager at the Aurora Inn, said there are currently 86 full- and part-time workers at the inn. Twenty-eight full- and part-time positions will open up at the college's dining hall when Sodexo's contract is terminated. Edinger said three staff members from the inn will go to work at the dining hall, but will only be there temporarily to train employees.

“The first crack is going to be given to (Sodexo employees) for positions,” Edinger said. “My hope is that we can fill them with folks up there.”

Edinger said Sodexo is only retaining its general manager and the head chef who currently work at the dining hall. The 28 remaining employees are not being offered transfer opportunities by Sodexo. Instead, they were offered Aurora Inn job applications and were invited to a meeting about open positions on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Twenty-four of the 28 employees showed up, said Edinger. More than a third of them are known to have applied to the Aurora Inn at this time, said Lundquist and Edinger.

“They can reapply for their current job,” Edinger said, “Or another job - perhaps one they've always wanted to do.”

Edinger said she believes the Sodexo employees have a lot of experience in dining hall services and know the clientele. She said this will serve them well when re-applying.

“We put extreme value in people who have been in a place for a long time,” she said. “Assuming they have the technical qualifications for our positions, there's an advantage to having worked up there.”

Edinger said that, based on applicants' prior experience, those hired will not all have their wages reset to minimum wage. Those with significant job experience will make more than that.

Greg Yost, public relations manager at Sodexo, said in a company statement, “Sodexo is sorry to hear that Wells College has decided to go in a different direction with its campus dining program. We appreciate the opportunity we've had to serve the college's students, faculty and staff over the years and we welcome a chance to serve them again in the future.”

Beyond the situation with the employees and their potential re-application, things at the dining hall will remain much the same, at least for now. Students' work study program with the dining hall won't change, nor will hours of operation, said Rollo and Lundquist. The prices of food will not go up this spring, said Lundquist. Normal price increases, however, may cause food prices to go up next year.

Rollo said that a letter to the campus was sent out to inform faculty, staff and students about this change, but that the information was not hidden from other stakeholders, such as parents and community members. She said an announcement was on the college's Web site - The Globe at Wells. The change was discussed with parents during the college's Family Weekend and will be included in a general update letter that will probably be sent to parents this month, said Lundquist.

“I think that as the facts get known,” said Lundquist, “the questions will start to get answered.”

Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net