Auxiliaries seek to serve students
Utah State University Dining Services, although affiliated with the university, is nearly independent in terms of finances. It generates its own revenue, pays its own bills and rents the space it occupies from the university.
“We are a business with the same mission the university has,” said Alan Andersen, executive director of Dining Services. “We operate, from a financial perspective, just like a restaurant would downtown. We operate that way on a day-to-day basis, but with the caveat that we’re also supporting and following the mission of Utah State University.”
Dining services is what USU considers an auxiliary, which is “a business enterprise or other support activity whose purpose is to provide specified services to students, faculty, staff or guests of the institution.”
Auxiliaries at USU include the USU Campus Store, Student Health Services, Housing and Residence Life, the University Inn & Conference Center, the parking terraces and the Taggart Student Center.
USU states that auxiliaries should “operate on an essentially self-supporting basis whenever possible,” meaning they don’t receive funding from the state.
Dining Services had revenues of over $8 million last year. With those revenues, they paid expenses of $7.6 million. While they ran a surplus, they didn’t use it to pay themselves a bonus but instead reinvested in the business. The salaries they did pay themselves came from business revenue and not from federal funds, the way other university employees are paid.
Andersen said the most rewarding part of working as an auxiliary is interacting and working with students.
“There is no better atmosphere in the world to work in than in a university,” he said. “I work with some of the most motivated people. … They’re at the most exciting time of their life. They have more energy in them than you could imagine.”
Steve Jenson, executive director of Housing and Residence Life, said auxiliaries employs more students than would typically be seen at other universities. The Campus Store provided 164 student jobs last year and Dining Services hired around 300. This is possible, Jenson said, because of the quality of the student body at USU.
“We employ lots of students, and we’re proud of that,” Jenson said. “They provide great service, and (employing them) helps keep the costs lower.”
Some students being served by the auxiliaries report that they’re glad to see their peers employed.
“I kind of like going into places … and seeing other students there because I’m more comfortable around them,” said Katie Egbert, a sophomore majoring in social work. “Students are usually friendlier towards other students. It’s just more welcoming.”
Regarding the unique financial situation of auxiliary services, Egbert found it to be strange.
“I think it’s kind of weird,” Egbert said. “I just thought everything on campus was just USU and that’s it.”
While auxiliaries operate as a normal business would, sometimes the complexity of their relationship can affect them in their day-to-day operations.
“A university is a political beast,” Andersen said. “Sometimes you can’t make what you feel is the best business decision because there are other factors in play. I understand that and am fine with it, but it can be frustrating.”
An example of a unique challenge Dining Services may face is offering meal and housing plans for a full year without knowing what will happen to market values for the goods they produce that year. For example, if Dining Services commits to providing food for a certain price at the beginning of the year and during spring semester the price of obtaining ingredients unexpectedly rises, they may lose a large sum of money.
Despite the challenges and complexities of their task, auxiliary services continue to grow. New dining options have been opened this year. In the coming years it’s expected that San Juan Hall will be renovated and Valley View Tower replaced, amongst various other improvements.
“Students come here to get an education, and we want to make it as seamless as possible,” Jenson said. “All the auxiliaries are focused on providing the very best benefit we can and making sure this experience is an excellent one for students.”
—levi.henrie@aggiemail.usu.edu