June 19, 2019

Dear AU Community,

We are excited to announce that Chartwells has been chosen as AU’s new dining partner and will start overseeing and operating dining services at the end of July.

We take very seriously the importance of food choices to our community, and that commitment has guided us throughout the search for a dining partner. We believe that, in Chartwells, we have found a partner that understands the importance of community to AU and will work with us to develop a program that is responsive to our needs and values.

The dining contract was put out for bid on April 19 after a series of roundtables, town halls, and other feedback that helped identify AU priorities – including excellent food with fresh, high-quality ingredients; a culturally diverse menu; and an emphasis on customer service. The Request for Proposals (RFP) process and timeline, including an overview of some key criteria, are posted online.

The Dining Project Team, which includes students, faculty and staff representing key stakeholders, then evaluated the proposals received, interviewed vendors, attended presentations, visited sites, and made recommendations that deeply informed the decision.

We’d like to thank everyone who took part in this extensive effort, from engaging in student forums, to sharing feedback in emails, to participating in the rigorous selection process.

We are enthusiastic about working in partnership with Chartwells to implement our shared vision of a dining experience that is tasty, varied, inclusive, healthy, and truly nurtures AU as a community.

Ann Marie Powell, Director of Dining and Auxiliary Services, will lead the AU transition team. Please note that, under Chartwells, there will be no changes to the 2019-2020 meal plan rates. Washington College of Law is not impacted and will continue to be served by its current vendor.

We look forward to sharing more with you about AU’s new dining program as the summer continues.

Sincerely,
Doug Kudravetz
Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Treasurer
American University

Fanta Aw
Vice President of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence
American University