by the Weekly Sillimanian | October 16, 2022
In light of the recent ‘food contamination’ incident with the Silliman University (SU) cafeteria, students and dormers alike have shed light on similar past experience. This begs the question, “Will SU stop requiring events inside the campus to have food catered by the cafeteria?”
Silliman University upholds a policy that requires all events that are organized by faculty, staff, and students to be catered by the university cafeteria alone. The administration’s rationale for this policy is that it would be difficult to trace responsibility on food that is not prepared well. The university has control over where the cafeteria sources ingredients, how the food is prepared, and who prepares and serves the food. Accordingly, they are able to monitor the cleanliness of the food area – which the cafeteria is said to take very seriously. If food was sourced elsewhere, matters of traceability, transparency, cooperation, and accountability would be made complex.
Following the recent news on the suspected ‘food contamination’, accounts of previous dissatisfaction with food from the cafeteria arose. SU dormers whose breakfast, lunch, and dinner are catered by the cafeteria have also raised their longtime concern about being served questionable meals.
If the cafeteria indeed takes food quality and cleanliness seriously, why has this issue dragged on until now? How did it come to a point where the cafeteria food served during the acquaintance parties is suspected of causing diarrhea, vomiting, and other health issues? Have these concerns never been brought to the administration’s attention?
We from the Weekly Sillimanian call for the university to take these collective concerns into consideration and to look into them alongside the ongoing investigation pertaining to the recent ‘food contamination’ case.
Is it right for students and staff to put up with having their food catered by the cafeteria when they are weary of its quality? We understand their point of easy traceability, but if food quality and the safety of Sillimanians are truly a priority, improvements and reevaluations must be undertaken.
