Molloy College no longer being investigated over food complaints
Students at Molloy College complained in September they were getting sick and shared photos of worms in food. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Molloy College has a new food service vendor and the Nassau health department is no longer conducting an investigation begun last month after students complained about spoiled food being served to them, officials said.
The Rockville Centre-based private Catholic school entered into a contract Oct. 9 with Lessing’s Food Service Management, based in Great River, according to the college.
The company since has been providing breakfast, lunch and dinner daily at the Rockville Centre campus. Contract details have not been released.
“It’s been a great start to the relationship and we are really happy they could jump in so quickly,” said Ken Young, a spokesman for the college, which has about 4,900 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. About 285 students reside on campus.
Because of the change, the Nassau County Department of Health is no longer investigating food service operations at Molloy, said Mary Ellen J. Laurain, director of the department’s Division of Communication & Health Education.
Things are going well with the new company, said Anne Collins, 21, of Mineola, who is a senior nursing major and student government president.
"They are constantly responding to feedback and suggestions from students," she said. "They are exceptionally receptive, and the quality is something the students are very happy to see."
Students during the last week of September alerted college administrators to issues with the food from dining halls not being properly prepared, being undercooked and in one instance having bugs in it.
On Sept. 28, the campus shut down the two main cafeterias on campus and brought in food trucks to serve the students. Students were allowed to use their meal plan cards at the trucks.
The college also began looking for new vendors, after mutually agreeing to part ways with vendor Compass Group North America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Young said.
Compass did not respond to requests for comment.
The company’s WARN notice filed with the state Labor Department said it lost its contract as of Oct. 2 and that 26 employees were affected, according to the document posted on the department’s website.
The new service provider is family-owned and family-operated.
“We’re thrilled to provide them with the proper nutrition and great food they need, through a variety of avenues, with a variety of options,” Kevin Lessing, executive vice president of the food service company, said in a statement. “It is great to work with clients on Long Island since we are based here and have great resources to enhance the dining experience at Molloy College to the next level."
