Stop Sodexo's Bad Practices at the University of Lethbridge

During the month of March a survey was conducted at the University of Lethbridge.

What Does the University of Lethbridge Community Think of Sodexo Food?

The objective of this survey was to receive an empirical answer to the question of what the University of Lethbridge (UofL) community think of Sodexo food services on campus. This survey was commissioned by the Service Employee’s International Union (S.E.I.U) after consultation with the University of Lethbridge Students Union (ULSU) and the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG). If the answer was found to be a negative one then a second action-research projected would attempt to get better food service on campus.

Initially the goal was to collect 400 responses but with the survey approaching 250 a very clear trend had emerged and we decided we had enough data. With 244 surveys returned there was a very high (95.1%) completion rate.

The University of Lethbridge has a population of over 10000 including 8200 undergraduates and the survey has a 95% confidence rating that the results are accurate within 6points.

The clearest message from both the quantitative and qualitative data is that the price of food is too high for the quality received. 70% picked the worst category on the price of food in the quantitative section and in the qualitative section over 150 wrote that the food was too expensive.

Another significant statistical response was overall satisfaction with 48.5% rating it as “poor”. The comments section revealed a significant number are unhappy with the exclusivity contract, the mandatory residence meal plan, greasy food, the lack of healthy food and vegetarian options and choices for those on restricted diets.

Perhaps most significant though was that eight students reported getting food poisoning after eating at Sodexo establishments at the UofL. The results of this survey provide a very clear mandate for changes to food services at the University of Lethbridge.