After considerable deliberation, including consultation through a broadly based
sponsor committee and the review of an extensive business plan, UBC has
endorsed proposals to close one of its campus food operations and convert
another in 1997.
The proposals call for Pacific Spirit Place, located in the Student Union
Building, to close in September 1997, after the summer conference season, and
for the commissary to transfer to Totem Park. The university would then seek
requests for proposals to redevelop the space with an anticipated re-opening in
January 1998.
Trekkers Restaurant would be converted in March 1997 from a table-service
restaurant into an expanded express service outlet.
“These decisions were reached after extensive deliberation, study and
consultation,” said Frank Eastham, associate vice-president, Human Resources.
“Our overall intent was to achieve a balance between serving campus and
community needs and our responsibility to have a sound financial operation.
“It became clear to us that we need to focus on re-invigorating service in key
areas of our food operations. It was also clear that in order to achieve that
goal we had to rethink our activities in areas of significant continuing loss
with no credible opportunity of a turnaround.”
Up to 50 management and staff positions out of approximately 300 may be
affected, however the university anticipates the number will be lower due to
attrition and a labour adjustment plan.
“A key concern is that UBC staff members who may experience job loss be
provided with an adjustment program that values and respects them and provides
opportunities for employment at UBC and elsewhere. We will fully consult with
the CUPE 116 union to create an adjustment plan in the coming year,” Eastham
said.
A business plan prepared by consultants Ernst and Young, with extensive input
from internal and external staff and experts, recommended the changes in order
to put UBC Food Services on a solid financial footing for the future.
Pacific Spirit Place and Trekkers Restaurant had a combined net loss totalling
$712,000 in 1995/96 and financial forecasts anticipated these heavy losses
would continue.
Several factors affected their operations, including competition from other on-
and off-campus food outlets, changes in the customer base, and changing
economic times, the report said.
The report also recommends the amalgamation of Food Services with the
university’s Housing and Conferences Dept. The university will review the
feasibility of this recommendation, especially in light of a similar
recommendation from the departmental review committee of Housing and
Conferences.
A UBC sponsor committee endorsed the overall direction of the report and
accepted its two major recommendations. The study was made as part of a
five-year business plan that all UBC ancillary operations are now required to
make.
Copies of the Ernst and Young report are available as of Aug. 19 at Food
Services in the Ponderosa Building.
