In these days of government cutbacks in funding for higher education, colleges and universities across America are turning to restructuring as a means of reducing costs without compromising the quality of services that they provide to their students. One option that the University of Pennsylvania is currently considering is outsourcing, hiring outside contractors to take over services to the University which are currently under direct University control. The multitude of alternative options that exist by which this goal can be achieved, which have not been explored, makes the choice of this particular remedy highly suspect, and the services which are being considered for such an option even more so. Take dining, for instance.
Students have to eat.
As a matter of convenience to the students most universities have eating facilities on their campuses, and there exist other dining options nearby, such as food trucks and local eateries, for those students who want either a change from the usual or don't use the campus dining halls. This translates into an absence of extra cost to the University to run this service. However, at Penn, Dining Services, as an operation currently being run by Penn, is seriously being considered for the guillotine. Given what has re cently transpired with former employees of The Bookstore, this is a very serious threat, indeed. Of course, there is the possibility that this will not occur, but in order to avoid that eventuality, steps must be taken to ensure that Dining Services, as it now exists, is never outsourced.