From fresh bread to renovations, what to expect with WCC’s new dining partner

Employees at The Java Spot hard at work as they take orders and serve food. Shelby Beaty | Washtenaw Voice

by RUBY GO
Staff Writer

WCC is kicking off the fall semester with a new dining partner, Creative Dining Services (CDS).

The Michigan-based company is bringing lots of new food to the table — literally. The Java Spot, located on the first floor of the Student Center, is offering new food options from various local partners, including Hyperion Coffee in Ypsilanti and Earthen Jar in Ann Arbor.

“I’m trying to make (the food options on campus) as local as I can,” said James Henes, the food service director. Henes also served as the food service director with Aramark, WCC’s previous dining partner.

From paninis to sushi to blueberry muffins, there are many options to choose from at The Java Spot. Many of the food items come in daily, including sushi, fresh bread, and bagels, according to Henes. Coffee comes weekly, and food from Earthen Jar comes every Monday. Nearly all of the options fall within the $2 to $6 range.

However, the other food stations on campus are closed for renovations, according to Henes. The SC Spot and Subway area will remain closed for the remainder of the fall semester, at least.

“With contracts closing, everything is taking forever,” Henes said.

When the renovations are done, the Subway will be gone, and it will become a similar deli-type station.

“I feel that whatever they replace it with, it should be something where they have more vegan options,” said Asia Fuller, a student at Washtenaw Technical Middle College, the charter highschool at WCC. “Some people aren’t able to eat. My friend wasn’t able to eat until she got home.”

With The Java Spot, the only food option on campus, there can be a line winding from the counter. With limited positions available due to COVID-19, the employees are managing what they can.

“I get to make coffee all day, and that’s fun,” said Lauren Masserant, one of the employees at The Java Spot and a former WCC student who now attends Eastern Michigan University. “We only have one place open, so that makes it kind of hectic rather than having (the SC Spot) open too. But we’re trying to get one more person back here.”

A new mobile ordering app, titled Washtenaw CC Dining, is now available to download on Apple and Android devices. Users are not able to view the full menu, but the entire coffee selection is available.

A little background information

Under its new contract, CDS will provide its services through May 2026, with an optional five-year renewal. The company serves six Michigan colleges, including Macomb and Grand Rapids community colleges.

The College will be responsible for the net loss of the program in addition to a fixed management fee provided to the vendor. The proposed subsidy for WCC in the first full year of operations is estimated at $200,000, but it could be substantially less, WCC officials said when they awarded the contract in April.

Until June of this year, WCC has been under contract with Aramark since 2013. While most years didn’t get past the break-even point, some years saw a modest profit. With more and more students opting for online classes (thus, decreasing the demand for on-campus dining), reaching that break-even point became increasingly difficult.