A viral social media post on the Southeast Missouri State University student Facebook page “Living at Southeast” has initiated an investigation into the cleanliness of certain Chartwells dining facilities on campus. Southeast student Rutra Asokan found several small worms swimming at the bottom of her sweet tea while dining in Towers Café on Nov. 27 and shared a photo and video to the Facebook page.
The photo, which has been shared by more than 50 students, received an immediate response from Alicia Ticer, Chartwells director of student engagement and marketing, and Bruce Skinner, assistant vice president for Student Success and Auxiliary Services.
“I was stunned,” Asokan said in the post. “I am very concerned and have heard that others have found bugs in their foods and drinks. … We also received attitude from some of the employees.”
Ticer responded to Asokan’s comment within 15 minutes, and eventually posted assuring students that the staff at Towers had taken action to correct the situation.
“Upon Rutra bringing this to Chartwells attention, we have been continuously looking into the problem,” Ticer commented on the post. “... Staff at Towers have been working to discover the source of the issue. Containers were emptied and hoses have been checked. We regret this situation, and are still investigating. Be assured that we will share all information, and that we have immediately took action to correct this situation.”
Skinner apologized via Facebook to Asokan on behalf of the Chartwells staff regarding the complaints that were made.
“I've confirmed both the beverage containers, along with nozzles, have been removed, cleaned and sanitized in response to what you shared,” Skinner commented. “At this point I cannot explain what happened, however, it is likely these are fruit fly larvae. This is not an excuse or meant to say anything other than this is unacceptable, only to share what information I have at this point and the follow-up that is being taken. This is not the standard we have for our dining area and I apologize for what you found, this is not acceptable in any of our dining venues.”
Chartwells was reached for comment on Tuesday: “The safety of our associates, guests and clients is always our top priority. We are confident that this was an isolated incident. All equipment is thoroughly cleaned nightly and all tea is inspected through a clear container and we ensure that all of our approved vendors meet the highest standards of food safety. Additionally, we require that all of our associates undergo food safety trainings weekly. As a company we are constantly growing and look forward to our continued partnership with Southeast Missouri State and the campus community to enhance the guest experience.”
In 2015 Chartwells renewed their contract with the university. The new contract included the addition of new dining options like Panda Express and renovations to dining areas. Over the summer, Towers Cafe was the first dining area to receive renovations. The renovations cost an estimated $3.4 million.
