Vended food called nutritious;
consumers influence selection
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By Betsie Ammons
Food bought from campus vending machines
can provide a nutritious meal, according to Gene
Meerkatz, vending systems manager at UNL. He
operates vending machines in 52 locations on
city and east campuses, excluding the Union
South Crib.
"It's as nutritious as the food served across
the counter," Meerkatz said.
He said the university contracts with
Automatic Merchandising of Lincoln for vending
machine foods, which are made in the company's
Omaha commissary daily and shipped to Lincoln
early every morning.
Food changed daily
Although state health department rules say
food must be removed every 72 hours, Meerkatz
said the university removed it daily.
Hazel Fox, chairman of the Department of
Food and Nutrition in the College of Home
Economics, said the nutritional value of prepared
foods depends on what is in them. She said one
of the chief concerns is spoilage. Anything that
contains eggs or milk, will not keep as long as
sliced meat will.
Fox said he would like to see more fresh fruit
and sandwiches offered in the machines.
"Just the fact that it is there promotes good
nutrition," she said. She added that it is up to
the customer to see that he purchases a
well-balanced meal.
Meerkatz said he is concerned with meeting
sales demands. He said because there is a limited
number of items in machines, he provides the
foods the public seems to want most.
"If there was an unlimited number of slots in
the machine, we could offer niore natural
foods," he said.
Bob Richeson, manager of vending service in
the Nebraska Union South Crib, said the Union
owns the machines it operates there. He said the
staff in the North Crib prepares food for the
machines along with what they sell across the
counter.
"We like to think it is just as good as what
goes through the Crib," he said.
Richeson said the machines were installed
when it was no longer feasible to keep a manual
food service open at night. The South Crib
machines contain sandwiches, milk, fresh fruits,
yogurt, salads and desserts.
Try new foods
Richeson said they are always trying new
items in the machines, such as additional natural
foods, but they have to provide what the public
will buy.
Meerkatz said profits from machines on cam
pus have dropped 30 per cent in the past year,
lie said selling food always has been more a ser
vice than a profit maker, but that they make up
for lost money with snack machines. The univer
sity controls prices on vending machine foods,
he said.
Richeson said the Union Vending Serivce is a
"break-even" type of operation and has a net
profit of less than one per cent. The profit they
do make goes back into the operation.
The South Crib operates a "vending help
line" which allows people who have trouble with
the machines to call for assistance.
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Photo by Steve Boomer
Housing group reviews policy, hears appeals
Any student living in a fraternity, sorority,
cooperative, residence hall or married student housing
may present his concerns about UNL housing policies
to one group interested in all UNL housing.
The Housing Policy Committee, a subcommittee
of the Council on Student Life (CSL) was created in
1970 to review and make recommendations about
housing policies in all types of UNL housing.
The committee also serves an appellate function. If
a student thinks a housing policy is being enforced
discriminately, he or she can appeal to the
committee, which' will study the matter further and
make recommendations, said John Breckenridge, a
committee member for several years.
Never had an appeal
Wendy Reitmeier, chairwoman of the committee,
said the committee never has had an appeal, and said
she does not expect HPC to be overwhelmed by
them. Aspects of UNL housing reviewed by the
committee usually are suggested by students, the
housing office, CSL or committee members, she said.
HPC is useful because it serves all areas of UNL
housing and although there have been no appeals to
date, it is important that an appeallate committee be
available to the residents when the need occurs, she
said.
The committee cannot change a policy but it can
attempt to correct areas where a policy is not being
inforced equally, and possibly can make
recommendations concerning a policy, Breckenridge
said.
HPC may. be supportive of a more cooperative
kind of living situation in the residence halls next
year, he said. Much of HPCs work takes a two-to
three-year campaign to complete.
Two vacancies
Ordinarily there should be 1 2 regular members and
a housing staff member on the committee, Reitmeier
said, but there are student and faculty vacancies now.
Reitmeier, who joined the committee in
September and has been chairwoman since December,
said the faculty and staff positions are filled from
Faculty Senate nominations approved oy caL,.
Student positions are filled from ASUN nominations
approved by CSL.
"Students aren't apathetic, but it's hard to find
one with enough time and energy to serve on the
committee," Breckenridge said. "A lot of students are
action-oriented and do not join the committee
because its work takes several years to complete."
Working with HPC is better than any course the
university could teach, Breckenridge said. Students
who become involved learn about UNL, problems
with bureaucracy and what they have to do to bring
about changes, he said.
Students who want to participate or bring a
concern before HPC may attend their meeting at 5
p.m. every Thursday in the Nebraska Union,
Reitmeier said.
"We have an open agenda and informal meetings,
so it's not necessary that a student contact a member
beforehand, she said.
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Are in At:.
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The sox with the built-in toes. In bright, cheery,
spring pastel colors and stripes.
This week only $4 per pair with Student I.D.
BankAmericard, Master Charge and' Lay-Aways
Welcome. Now how much easier can we make it?
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return acta
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You owe yourself an Oly.
Olympia Brewing Company, Olympia, Washington "OLY't
All Olympia empiios ate recyclable
NEBRASKA UNION CONCERTS
PRESENTS
S The Clinch fountain Boys
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Admiosion 1.00
Also featuring
Tickets available at: East campus union, Nebraska Union
South Desk, Dirt Cheap and at the door.
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thursday, march 6, 1975
daily nebraskan
page 3