College Votes 4-1 for Food Survey; Houghteling Sees No Rivals to NSA

The Student Council last night released results of its food poll, in which students voted 1664 to 425 for expert, impartial investigation of the dining hall system. After discussion of the poll with William A. Heaman, manager of the University dining halls, the Council reaffirmed its earlier recommendation that the administration obtain this professional outside assistance.

In addition to favoring a survey, the 2582 students voting approved of nutritional variety in College food, and felt, by a small majority, that foods in individual meals went well together.

Dissatisfaction

But there was considerable, in some cases, strong dissatisfaction with lack of variety in individual foods, frequency of starchy foods, preparation of various dishes, and temperature of hot foods. Comments dwelt on the coffee, lack of fruit juices, and lack of imagination in planning and service.

The poll showed 2 to 1 in favor of improving the quality of the food, not lowering the board rate, if prices were to drop.

At the meeting Heaman expressed his disapproval of a survey on four grounds: 1) that it would cost too much money; 2) that no firm of experts was available in the area; 3) that machinery for examination already existed in the form of House Food Committees and Visiting Committees; and finally 4) that an investigation would imply official inefficiency, would give the Dining Halls administration bad publicity, and lower the morale among the staff.

Council members in discussing the proposed survey with Heaman said that, although they fully respected him and his office, they thought that outside experts might introduce a fresh point of view with their suggestions, and would certainly clear the air of student objections, as expressed in the poll results.

Heaman insisted that an investigation would not "improve the problem," and asked for closer student cooperation in improving dining hall service, especially through the House food committees.