The Moorpark College Cafeteria will be shut down on May 20 due to the inability to sustain itself, college officials said.
According to Iris Ingram, Vice President of Business Services, the cafeteria must be able to support itself without the help of the school’s general funds.
“It is an acceptance of the reality that our cafeteria cannot currently compete successfully with other retail food operations in the area,” said Ingram in an email interview.
The Board of Trustees met on March 13, and officially voted to close the cafeteria.
The vote to shut down the cafeteria will effect both Moorpark College and Ventura College. Oxnard College’s cafeteria was shut down last year but remains open in part with the Culinary Arts Program, providing limited service.
There are currently five student employees, four classified employees, and one manager who work at the Moorpark College cafeteria. Darren Wise, Moorpark College Food Service consultant, does not believe that closing the cafeteria is a good solution to the problem. He believes that if they close for summer, modify the menu, and cut down on worker hours, they would be able to keep themselves afloat.
“We should adapt accordingly, not just shut it down,” said Wise, who will lose his job when the cafeteria closes.
Erin Villareal, the Food Service Operations Specialist at Moorpark College, will also lose her position when the cafeteria closes. She believes that the cafeteria is like any other business and should be treated like one.
“Is the right decision to do all or nothing and close this to the community?” asked Villareal, “I don’t believe so. If the campus is cutting, we’ll cut too. It needs to be run like a business. You adapt accordingly.”
Sonia Ruiz, 20 a psychology major at Moorpark College, suggested that the college should bring in outside food services in replace of the current cafeteria.
“The cafeteria’s prices are already a bit high,” said Ruiz. “Since there isn’t a lot of local food places (besides McDonald’s and Subway) opening restaurants in the cafeteria would surely do well.”
While that seems like a logical solution, the district is currently prohibited from doing so.
“By state law, we are not permitted to contract out for services previously performed by district employees,” said Ingram.
After the cafeteria closes, all employees who work there will lose their jobs and students as well as faculty at the school will have to look elsewhere for their fresh food.
