Last week, Sodexo was granted the right to negotiate a dining contract with UVM, according to a March 11 email.  Dennis DePaul, the assistant dean for business operations will be the negotiator for UVM, according to the email.

Since December of 2013, Sodexo has been working on an extensive process that provided a carefully developed dining contract proposal.

Sodexo and UVM have partnered for the past 58 years.

Should negotiations end in an agreement, the new contract will begin July 1, 2015, according to the email from Vice Provost Annie Stevens.

“I think the food offered at my new school is definitely better,” said Lauren Riecker, a student who transferred from UVM to Rutgers University. “There’s a lot more options and everything seems fresher.”

The email describes what UVM is looking for from the new service agreement, including greater integration with academic initiatives in food systems, transparent sourcing and affordability.

The University will also push for a say in the wages and benefits of Sodexo employees, the email stated.

“I’ve heard that Sodexo is one of the best dining service companies and I think that local food sourcing is a great idea,” sophomore Rachel Snider said.

The contract was  created by a 14 member committee made up of  students, faculty and staff, the email stated.

Sodexo did not comment regarding the new contract due to the ongoing negotiations.