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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Michael Newmark
Title: Director of Dining Services
1) Total annual food budget: [$ ]
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. We purchase as much local produce as seasonally possible for all our dining operations including catering which features a seasonal menu special featuring local produce and other local ingredients . We have partnered with two main produce providers: Sysco (Norton mass) and Sid Wainer and Son (New Bedford mass) Both companies provide us with daily local availability of product and we work to incorporate these items in all menus across campus as much as possible.
Partnered with a student group project from the Greeening class to bring a local Farmers market to campus. Sold bakery items at the farmers market and donated all proceeds to the Greening class for futuure greening class efforts/initiatives.
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local forms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[ # ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor:
Our main produce provider Sid Wainer partners with over 20 local farms.
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ ]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8): Depending on season it could be as high as 75% of our usage for produce . Also limited catering use of vermont maple syrup.
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ # ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor:
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$ ]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese):
Our bakery/bread items are purchased from Laronga and Lavalee bakeries which are located in Massachusetts. In addition the majority of baked goods are baked on campus in our on campus bakery.
In additon through a collaborative effort of students and administrators we brought a local Farmers Market to campus featuring produce,baked goods and other items from candles, and arts from local vendors.
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location: HP Hood located in Massachusetts
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe source and amount:
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe program: We particpated in the week long awareness state campaign program
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD
12) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to the purchase of organic and/or sustainably produced food?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list items: We have one main salad bar located in the retail food court that stocks with only organic or local produce exclusively. In addition our convenience store stocks a large selection of organic prodcuts
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ ]
For questions 15-19, please indicate percentage based on annual dollar amount spent.
15) Do you purchase cage-free eggs and/or confinement-free meat products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product). We offer cage free eggs as an option at all our dining locations
[ %] Percentage cage-free eggs
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
16) Do you purchase any grass-fed animal products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product). We offer wolfs neck grass feed beef burger at our retail grill
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
18) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
19) Do you purchase seafood that meets Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines or Marine Stewardship Council standards?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate. We utilize the recommendations /guidelines for daily special options at our grill to order station
[ %] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used:
20) Do you offer specifically labeled vegan entrees on a daily, weekly, or other regularly scheduled basis?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please specify number of options and the frequency with which they are offered: We have numerous vegan selections available ala carte in our convenience store.We have one Vegan exclusive station in the retail food court. We offer a vegan option everyday at our all you care to eat facility. Deli stocks tofu turkey. Our Kosher facility stocks numerous Vegan options on a daily basis. Brandeis Dining was recognized/nominated by PETA for our vegetarian platform/offerings as one of the best college campuses.
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above:
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[ X ] Some. Please describe: Exclusive in most dining locations. Certain locations offer as an option
[ ] All
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product). Chocolates in our convenience store
[ %] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item:
DISHWARE AND ECO-FRIENDLY INCENTIVES
24) Please indicate which of following your university-operated/contracted dining facilities offers.
[ ] Disposable dishware
[ ] Only reusable dishware
[ X ] Reusable and disposable dishware . All disposable products are biodegradable /compostable . To go containers are made from rice and drink cups are made from suger cane.
25) If you offer disposables, please indicate materials used (check all that apply).
[ ] Plastic or polystyrene
[ ] Postconsumer recycled content
[ X ] Biodegradable/compostable
[ ] Other
Description (optional):
26) Do your dining facilities offer discounts or cash incentives to individuals using reusable dishware, bringing a bag, or bringing reusable containers?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: Coffee discount mug re fill prgram. Choose china over to go and receive a discount
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
FOOD COMPOSTING AND WASTE DIVERSION
28) Do your dining facilities compost preconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of postconsumer compost.
All items non recylced from the 2 out of 2 main dining halls get composted. We have a partnership with We Care in Marlboro Mass. We project to compost over 450 tons per year
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: Greater Boston Food Bank second helping program
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[ ] Sometimes--on specific days, on certain occasions, or in specific locations. Please describe:
[ X ] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption: Began November 2008
32) Please tell us about any other steps your dining facilities have taken to reduce waste (e.g., food waste auditing, recycling used cooking oil for biodiesel production):
1. Eliminated bottled water from caterting menus and the retail food court. Added water fill staions throughout dining locations.
2. Sell nalgeene bottles and water filters in the convenience store.
3. Reusable bags for sale and use in the convenience store
4. Auto paper dispensers in dining locations
5. We purchase in bulk whenever possible to reduce waste in packaging
6. 100% recycled napkins
7. We use recycled office paper for copiers, fax and other.
8. Our fryer oil company is not a recylcer of used oil but the oil is picked up from many differeent companies including ones that use the old oil for bio diesel as well as other recylced goods
9. We use many eco friendly cleaning chemiclas
10. Employ one student positon on staff dedicated entirley to green initiauves within dining.
11. Sustainability tab on web site dedicated exclusively to green initiatives within dining
12. Dining class presentations at University Greening class taught by Professor Laura Goldin
13. Seasonal catering special menu designed to include locally grown produce .
14. Sell organic bananas in convenience stores
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ X ] Aluminum
[ X ] Cardboard
[ X ] Glass
[ X ] Paper
[ X ] Plastics (all)
[ ] Plastics (some)
[ ] Other. Please list:
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: Located throughtout dining venues. The bins are color coded. Particpated two years running in national recyclemania contest
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[ %]
AFFILIATIONS
Questions 36-37 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
36) Indicate if your dining services are:
[ X ] Contracted. Please describe: ARAMARK
[ ] School operated. Please describe:
[ ] Other. Please describe:
37) Is the dining services director, or another dining services staff person, a member of any campus-wide environmental/sustainability initiatives or committees at your school?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: Member of B.E.S.T.
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