During Orientation week for the Class of 2005, an employee of Ben and Jerry's came to speak about socially responsible businesses. Although his speech was relevant to many '05s considering similar careers, it would have been one more entry lost in the First Year Orientation Book were it not for the simple phrase added at the end of the description -- "free ice cream."
At the appointed hour, Homeplate was packed with hungry freshmen, and lines for ice cream were stretching out to the Blitz computers. In fact, attendance was so much greater than expected that the company had to send representatives back for more frozen treats to fill the demand.
The event's planners used a masterful technique to increase student interest and attendance -- the lure of free food. The method is becoming more common on campus as different groups struggle to maintain interest and students look for a way to give their DBA a break.
Free food is one of the premises behind the "Take a Professor to Lunch" program. Developed in 2000 by Linda Kennedy of the Student Activities Office in collaboration with the Hanover Inn, the program provides vouchers for students to have a free meal at the Inn with one of their professors. It is designed to increase student interactions with professors outside of the classroom setting or office hours.
Richard DuMez, a Hanover Inn employee who coordinates the project, says feedback since the program's inception has been overwhelmingly positive. He stated that of all the Dartmouth programs that the Inn is involved in, it is by far "the most popular."
DuMez noted that although there were originally five vouchers available for student use, the generous gift of an alum has allowed eight students to take advantage of the program each day. When asked about its popularity, DuMez stated simply, "It sells out."
He maintained, however, that free food is only a part of the program and does not encapsulate the benefits of the increased student-professor interaction that springs from it. DuMez feels that, for professors, the program "validates the idea of spending some quality time one-on-one without having to sit in an office," and he says that student comments have run along similar lines.
DuMez acknowledged the role of a free meal in the program, but quickly noted that it is merely "a nice additional incentive."
The Office of Residential Life also helps to fuel the free food craze. They allot each residential cluster, and by extension, each Undergraduate Advisor (UGA), a budget that is to be used for cluster and floor events.
These events often end up including -- or even centering around -- free food for the residents. Floor budgets can theoretically be used for any sort of event, like a trip or a play. But both by default and resident preference, most of the budget ends up getting spent on food.
UGA Michelle Gauvain '02 has a budget of $207 for 25 residents this fall term, and she estimates she will use "90 percent of it on food."
As UGA Alexis Lawrence '04 points out, "If you want to have a floor gathering at 2:00 a.m., you don't have many other options besides EBA's."
Campus programmers are not the only ones who use free food as a promotional device. Many clubs and organizations serve food at their meetings as an enticement for students who might not otherwise attend.
It can be difficult, though, to spread the word about free food to the greater Dartmouth population since non-members do not generally receive notification about events.
Paul Vickery '03 decided to take matters into his own hands. Vickery, who stated simply, "I like free food activities," had been monitoring organizations' Blitz bulletins and e-mailing a group of friends about events where free cuisine would be offered.
This summer, with the help of Linda Kennedy in the Student Activities Office, Vickery and PJ Nguyen '03 started a new blitz bulletin called "Free Food." Jesse Jacobson '04 now assists them.
Organizations who plan to offer free food at their events can e-mail Vickery, and in turn, the event will be posted on the bulletin -- which, according to Vickery, was monitored by 764 students as of Oct. 15.
Vickery said that the bulletin makes events "much more open to a very diverse group of people," because it communicates to nonmembers.
"No one would go to an event that they're not interested in just because of the free food, but it is an extra incentive and also, it's mighty tasty."
