This weekend’s forecast predicts additional snowfall, pushing Stags Hospitality to ramp up preparations in anticipation of inclement weather.
According to NBC Connecticut, there is a 40% chance of precipitation on Sunday. Jay DeGioia ’80, director of Aramark’s Stags Hospitality, outlines his team’s plan in the event of a storm.
“We work closely with the University on all our emergency plans,” he says.
Their efforts are widespread, requiring coordination and communication with food suppliers.
“We work with all our suppliers to ensure we have plenty of food and supplies on hand if our normal deliveries will be affected,” DeGioia explains.
Primarily, the key to success lies in the hands of the employees.
The opening schedule is determined by the number of staff members who are available to work. To ensure that key employees are nearby and ready to work, “close and convenient housing” is provided.
“The Tully will always be open for normal or slightly extended hours. The number of stations is dependent on how many employees we have,” he shares.
Based on staffing levels, the Snack Bar opens next, followed by Dunkin’ and the Levee. The Conference and Event Management (CEM) staff also plays a role, as they monitor all catering events to maintain the safety of guests who are dining on campus.
“As the number of guests is expected to be high, we prepare other areas for students and our facilities snow team to dine,” DeGioia adds.
This past weekend, a winter storm impacted university operations, and access to the Tully was limited to on-campus residents. Despite the record snowfall, the Tully opened on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with almost all stations available. On Monday, the dining hall reopened under normal hours. The Snack Bar was open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Dunkin’ served customers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We are proud of the dedication of all our employees that braved the weather to give our students the best experience possible,” DeGioia expresses.
However, first-year student Theresa Kessler was not entirely satisfied.
“I was surprised to see the lack of food available inside the Tully, making the walk in the cold not worth it,” she said.
Students on Fizz weighed in as well, responding to a survey assessing satisfaction with meals from the Snack Bar. As of Tuesday afternoon, 44% of respondents reported that food service was “neither good nor bad.”
An anonymous post asked fellow users whether “the voyage [to the Tully] was worth it or if the food was bad.” One student replied, “It’s so bad,” prompting another user to respond, “Way to be grateful for the Tully workers risking their lives coming to work.”
Regardless of students’ sentiment, the fruits of Stag Hospitality’s labor were quantifiable: DeGioia reported that close to 10,000 meals were served on Sunday and Monday.
He is proud of each worker’s dedication, acknowledging that many had to travel from surrounding towns in harsh conditions — a testament to their willingness to make sacrifices in order to provide nourishment and a communal environment for the Fairfield community to enjoy.
With the potential for additional snow at the end of the week, DeGioia concludes, “We are already looking towards this weekend while putting together a similar plan.”
