Collegiums’ honour bars running in the red
Lack of accountability is troublesome for collegiums
February 20, 2008
Linette Schut
The honour bar system at Trinity Western University’s three collegiums is not living up to its name. This system is currently running in the red, causing frustration and cutbacks in the amount of food that can be offered.
[Photo: Samantha Lowe]
Glenn Hansen, assistant director of Community Life, Commuter and Graduate Student Programs, says that although there have been dips in the past the current situation is more troublesome than usual. It appears that while some people are not paying for their food, others are stealing money from the bars.
“Because of how much we’re in the red, we can’t rule out theft of money,” he said, but he assures that they are not pointing fingers.
In the meantime, there have been reductions in the amount of food being offered. “We have reduced our orders from Sodexho, so the collegiums are lacking in some supplies,” Hansen said.
“This creates tension for me,” he continues, “because I want to provide an atmosphere for conversation over plenty. Yet at the same time, I have to manage a financial bottom line.”
Since the honour bar started eight years ago, over $100,000 has passed through the system. The honour bar offers snacks such as cereal, milk, cup of noodles, cookies, fruit, juice, coffee and tea for a subsidized price. It is soley based on integrity, with no one monitoring whether or not people pay for what they consume. This makes it difficult to operate.
“It’s a challenge for me to manage more carefully,” said Hansen, “because though I’m responsible, it’s hard for me to control because it’s based on honour.”
“[We] just need people to step up and take ownership,” he said. “Human nature tends to forget or pay less, and we need people to be generous.”
“We offer the best prices on campus,” said Amy Tedder, a resident collegium assistant, “so it’s frustrating [when people don’t pay] because we’re providing a service.”
The honour bar was instituted, said Tedder, “so people can feel at home rather than having to swipe a card.”
Hansen compared the honour bar system to a kitchen in a home, saying that a kitchen is a place where relationships are formed.
“Relationships are the centre of the collegium,” he said.
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