For the first time since 1993, Dartmouth Dining Services achieved a slight budget surplus in the 1997 fiscal year, recovering from three years of financial losses.
DDS earned $200,000 between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 1998, after losing $460,000 in the 1996 fiscal year, according to College Vice President and Treasurer Win Johnson.
It lost more than $1 million dollars from 1994 to 1996, mostly due to former DDS Director Pete Napolitano's implementation of refundable declining balance accounts. The refundable accounts gave students the option to eat more meals off campus, reducing sales at the dining halls.
The surplus went toward new equipment and a few physical improvements to dining buildings -- measures which could not occur during the dining services' financial troubles, Johnson said.
Last year was marked by a series of changes in the dining program, including non-refundable declining balance accounts, lay-offs of several non-student employees and reduction of operating hours at Collis Cafe and Food Court.
DDS also added food offerings, such as new deli options at Food Court, full breakfast and a smoothie bar at Collis and the return of the Sunday Brunch to Home Plate.
Sales increased from $9.4 million in 1996 to $10.4 million in 1997. Students spent an average of $125 more than the meal plans they selected each term.
"We made absolutely terrific strides during the first year of the program," DDS Director Tucker Rossiter said.
Johnson said all of the dining establishments did "pretty well" last year, and Collis Cafe particularly improved its sales.
DDS hopes to break even for the next several years before it aims to earn a surplus, he said.
He attributed the financial improvements to the changed meal plans, staff lay-offs and the reduction of operating hours. He said the changes in food offerings also helped, but are expected to occur regularly, regardless of dining services' financial situation.
DDS has added the Collis Midnite Express and hired two new food services workers this year.
"At this point, given a year's experience, we're very cautiously expanding in some areas," Johnson said.
Rossiter said DDS has implemented some new eating options, including restaurant-style Campbell's soup at the Food Court deli and general changes to menus at all dining establishments.
The meal program at the all-you-can-eat Westside Buffet -- the establishment which earned the least money last year -- has been changed so that each week's meals are oriented to specific cultures, such as Italian, Asian, Mexican and All-American.
Westside Buffet closes at 8 p.m., half an hour earlier than it closed last year.
