In the annual report to the board of the University of North Carolina, Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski declared that “Appalachian State’s Food Services division is, without question, the most preferred by students within the North Carolina system.” 

Staff, variety and quality were the factors that Borkowski found to be most important among the students; yet in the wake of such praise, the issue of price complaints still found its way into the report. 

In response to these complaints, Assistant Director of Food Services Pat Weaver said the department is doing “everything it possibly can” to keep prices down, while emphasizing that the department is an auxiliary service.  This means that Food Services must support itself financially, without any help from the university. 

Weaver pointed out that Food Services receives no operational funding from the government, which puts a significant strain on the department to find prices that are acceptable to both students and administration.  Borkowski showed similar concern in his letter to the board, and stated that 
“efforts are being made to keep prices below the market in the Boone area.” 

Weaver went on to explain that there will be no price increases this year, though increases were experienced last year.  A current survey conducted by Food Services shows that much of the food at Appalachian State is sold at and sometimes below the Boone market price.  Having said this, the department still acknowledges that some items may be sold above area prices. 

Despite the administration’s acknowledgment of the common complaint, “efforts” are not the only thing being made in Food Services. 

In the same report,  Borkowski noted, “In the past five years the division [Food Services] has, through careful planning, accumulated a reserve of 4 million dollars.” 

That works out to a profit of approximately $920,000 per school year. 

Borkowski has made this reserve “essential for moving forward on the construction of a dinning facility to replace Welborn Hall,” which is currently in the planning stages. 

Food Services also acknowledges the possibility of state money being available for this construction.