TERMS OF REFERENCE
Plan to Uplift the Efficiency of the Canteen at
Faculty of Medicine
Jaffna
Medical Students’ Union
2012/13
Plan to Uplift the Efficiency of the Canteen at
Faculty of Medicine
Jaffna
Medical Students’ Union
2012/13
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF Faculty Canteen |
01. Introduction
The canteen of the Faculty of Medicine has been maintained by the Faculty of Medicine Teachers' Association form 2007 to Dec 2013. The efficiency of the canteen management had been monitored by Canteen committee of the Faculty of Medicine which comprises academic, supportive staff and students as members. As MSU had been receiving complaints from students on canteen and its management one after the other for the last 2-3 years, several steps were undertaken by MSU including a week of boycott, to have a good service for the students at canteen. But there was no improvement.
All the complaints were brought to the notice of canteen caterer, who had been allowed to work there from 2007 to December 2013 ended in vain. And whenever the complaints were brought to the discussion at canteen committee meetings the outcome had been a few days of good food followed by a months of rubbish extending up to the next canteen committee meeting. Surprisingly the authorities allowed this particular caterer to continue deceiving in-spite of repeated effort to have a good service for students at canteen by last three MSU over different period of time. This has imparted some sort of unhealthy ideas among students on canteen caterer and the administration.
Thus, the MSU decided to write this to the administration (Dean and AR/welfare) and take part in the tender application held in Nov 2013.
As the tender was accepted by the administration, MSU decided to draw a Terms of reference to uplift the efficiency of the canteen at Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna
02. Aims of the canteen
· To provide nutritious food to students and staff
· To provide food with qualities and quantities
· To provide palatable food
· To provide variety of food
· To provide with reasonable prices
03. SWOT analysis
Strength
· Well-organized MSU guided by the Senior Treasurer and Patron- the Dean/Medicine.
· A canteen committee comprising two representative from each batch
· Positive support from Office of the Dean and Welfare - University of Jaffna
· Constructive support from staff and students
· Constant amount of customers - Medical Students and AHS students
· Customer loyalty
Weakness
· No support from other sources to subsidy the items like in other university
· Lack of experience
· Lack cleanliness of the canteen premises and proper waste disposal facility
· Lack hygienic practices by the consumers
· Tight schedule of students.
Opportunities
· Free electricity
· No rents
· No taxes
· Increased number of student intake
· Majority of the students are from outside to Jaffna District.
Threats
· Changing customer base and need
· Increase cost of the products
· new outlets with modern facilities
04. Plans and strategy to improve the efficiency of canteen management
The following suggestions were made at the Canteen committee meeting held on 5th December 2013 to improve the efficiency of the management of the canteen.
· Effective management
· Role of the committees
· Role of the students
· General business structure of canteen
· Stock management
· financial management
· Cooking
Effective management
In addition to providing the students and staff with nutritious and affordable foods, the canteen should be based on good management practices and be financially self-sustaining.
Effective canteen management requires that:
Ø Canteen staff and committee develop an implementation plan
Ø Day-to-day operational procedures are structured and enforced
Ø Working employees are adequately trained and supervised
Ø Canteen manager carry out efficient stock management, accounting and financial procedures
Role of the committees
Ø Supervise the canteen (employees, invoice and premises) daily and provide monthly report to MSU
Ø Feedback collection and prompt action
Role of the students
Ø Report to the their batch representative about the quantity and qualities of the foods
Ø Introducing the feedback mechanism from consumers about quality of food items, services and management
Ø Encourage the students to behave as models and adhere to the rules of the committee
Ø Students should recognize the importance of good quality canteen and there must be a general acceptance of the canteen as their own institution among the stakeholders. All the policies must be shared with the stakeholders and it is also important to consider the concerns which are indicated by various individuals when make policies. All the stakeholders particularly students should contribute immensely in positive manner to implement the policies example like - pre-booking for the meals
Ø Over the counter payment must be encouraged especially for the students.
Ø Maintain the utensils of the canteens (e.g. Silver cups and plates)
Ø Pay the charge for broken soda bottles
Ø Adhere to the cleanliness of the canteen
GENERAL STRUCTURE OF CANTEEN
Ø A full time canteen manager
Ø A Cashier
Ø A full time employee
Ø A Chief cook with two supportive cooks
A full time canteen manager
A canteen manager should be appointed by MSU. The canteen manager is present at all times and his work is supported by paid employees. The duties of the canteen managers are;
Ø to appoint suitable persons as a Cashier, a full time employee and a Chief cook with two supportive cooks
Ø to allocate and monitor the tasks of employee
Ø Stock management- the purchase of goods is a significant canteen expense and therefore it is critical that this process is organized and efficient. It is important to:
· Buy products at the best price
· Buy appropriate quantities
· Ensure safe, high-quality products
· Order at the appropriate time
· Good communication with food delivers
Ø To ensure the availability of snacks, soft drinks, milk and milk products and -
meals
Ø Provide the financier statement to committee event month
Ø Deposit the rent (Rs. 25 000.00) and fixed percentage of profit or a fixed amount determined by MSU to the MSU account monthly
Ø Salary shall be distributed to each employee who is appointed by the Manager out the profit.
A Cashier
A full time paid cashier should be appointed. The cashier is present at all times from 6.30am to 7.30 pm. The duties of the cashier are;
Ø Billing the sales
Ø Prepare the daily account of the sales
Ø prepare the monthly financial statement and provide to the manage
Ø ensure the cleanliness of the canteen
A full time employee
A full time paid employee should be appointed. He is presented all times and his duties are
Provide the meals over the counter ensure the cleanliness of the canteen
Chief cook and two supportive cook
Chief cook and two supportive cook should be appointed. Their duty is to prepare the foods. Two male cook can stay overnight for preparatory works as the university rules permits.
05. Conclusion
MSU running the canteen is not of a purpose of making profit rather it is of pure intend to serve students. The profit that MSU secure shall be used for the better service at the canteen in medical faculty.
We thank the FMTA for their valuable service to the students and tenacious effort for a good service at Canteen at Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna.
The canteen of the Faculty of Medicine has been maintained by the Faculty of Medicine Teachers' Association form 2007 to Dec 2013. The efficiency of the canteen management had been monitored by Canteen committee of the Faculty of Medicine which comprises academic, supportive staff and students as members. As MSU had been receiving complaints from students on canteen and its management one after the other for the last 2-3 years, several steps were undertaken by MSU including a week of boycott, to have a good service for the students at canteen. But there was no improvement.
All the complaints were brought to the notice of canteen caterer, who had been allowed to work there from 2007 to December 2013 ended in vain. And whenever the complaints were brought to the discussion at canteen committee meetings the outcome had been a few days of good food followed by a months of rubbish extending up to the next canteen committee meeting. Surprisingly the authorities allowed this particular caterer to continue deceiving in-spite of repeated effort to have a good service for students at canteen by last three MSU over different period of time. This has imparted some sort of unhealthy ideas among students on canteen caterer and the administration.
Thus, the MSU decided to write this to the administration (Dean and AR/welfare) and take part in the tender application held in Nov 2013.
As the tender was accepted by the administration, MSU decided to draw a Terms of reference to uplift the efficiency of the canteen at Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna
02. Aims of the canteen
· To provide nutritious food to students and staff
· To provide food with qualities and quantities
· To provide palatable food
· To provide variety of food
· To provide with reasonable prices
03. SWOT analysis
Strength
· Well-organized MSU guided by the Senior Treasurer and Patron- the Dean/Medicine.
· A canteen committee comprising two representative from each batch
· Positive support from Office of the Dean and Welfare - University of Jaffna
· Constructive support from staff and students
· Constant amount of customers - Medical Students and AHS students
· Customer loyalty
Weakness
· No support from other sources to subsidy the items like in other university
· Lack of experience
· Lack cleanliness of the canteen premises and proper waste disposal facility
· Lack hygienic practices by the consumers
· Tight schedule of students.
Opportunities
· Free electricity
· No rents
· No taxes
· Increased number of student intake
· Majority of the students are from outside to Jaffna District.
Threats
· Changing customer base and need
· Increase cost of the products
· new outlets with modern facilities
04. Plans and strategy to improve the efficiency of canteen management
The following suggestions were made at the Canteen committee meeting held on 5th December 2013 to improve the efficiency of the management of the canteen.
· Effective management
· Role of the committees
· Role of the students
· General business structure of canteen
· Stock management
· financial management
· Cooking
Effective management
In addition to providing the students and staff with nutritious and affordable foods, the canteen should be based on good management practices and be financially self-sustaining.
Effective canteen management requires that:
Ø Canteen staff and committee develop an implementation plan
Ø Day-to-day operational procedures are structured and enforced
Ø Working employees are adequately trained and supervised
Ø Canteen manager carry out efficient stock management, accounting and financial procedures
Role of the committees
Ø Supervise the canteen (employees, invoice and premises) daily and provide monthly report to MSU
Ø Feedback collection and prompt action
Role of the students
Ø Report to the their batch representative about the quantity and qualities of the foods
Ø Introducing the feedback mechanism from consumers about quality of food items, services and management
Ø Encourage the students to behave as models and adhere to the rules of the committee
Ø Students should recognize the importance of good quality canteen and there must be a general acceptance of the canteen as their own institution among the stakeholders. All the policies must be shared with the stakeholders and it is also important to consider the concerns which are indicated by various individuals when make policies. All the stakeholders particularly students should contribute immensely in positive manner to implement the policies example like - pre-booking for the meals
Ø Over the counter payment must be encouraged especially for the students.
Ø Maintain the utensils of the canteens (e.g. Silver cups and plates)
Ø Pay the charge for broken soda bottles
Ø Adhere to the cleanliness of the canteen
GENERAL STRUCTURE OF CANTEEN
Ø A full time canteen manager
Ø A Cashier
Ø A full time employee
Ø A Chief cook with two supportive cooks
A full time canteen manager
A canteen manager should be appointed by MSU. The canteen manager is present at all times and his work is supported by paid employees. The duties of the canteen managers are;
Ø to appoint suitable persons as a Cashier, a full time employee and a Chief cook with two supportive cooks
Ø to allocate and monitor the tasks of employee
Ø Stock management- the purchase of goods is a significant canteen expense and therefore it is critical that this process is organized and efficient. It is important to:
· Buy products at the best price
· Buy appropriate quantities
· Ensure safe, high-quality products
· Order at the appropriate time
· Good communication with food delivers
Ø To ensure the availability of snacks, soft drinks, milk and milk products and -
meals
Ø Provide the financier statement to committee event month
Ø Deposit the rent (Rs. 25 000.00) and fixed percentage of profit or a fixed amount determined by MSU to the MSU account monthly
Ø Salary shall be distributed to each employee who is appointed by the Manager out the profit.
A Cashier
A full time paid cashier should be appointed. The cashier is present at all times from 6.30am to 7.30 pm. The duties of the cashier are;
Ø Billing the sales
Ø Prepare the daily account of the sales
Ø prepare the monthly financial statement and provide to the manage
Ø ensure the cleanliness of the canteen
A full time employee
A full time paid employee should be appointed. He is presented all times and his duties are
Provide the meals over the counter ensure the cleanliness of the canteen
Chief cook and two supportive cook
Chief cook and two supportive cook should be appointed. Their duty is to prepare the foods. Two male cook can stay overnight for preparatory works as the university rules permits.
05. Conclusion
MSU running the canteen is not of a purpose of making profit rather it is of pure intend to serve students. The profit that MSU secure shall be used for the better service at the canteen in medical faculty.
We thank the FMTA for their valuable service to the students and tenacious effort for a good service at Canteen at Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna.