Some civic and student leaders think the Holmes Student Center is overcharging for catered food but food service officials maintain the prices are competitive and justified.

The service caters all university and organizational functions held at the student center. NIU policy prohibits outside caterers.

And that policy, Gavin Wilson believes, is the same thing as a monopoly. Wilson owns the Hillside Restaurant, 121 N. Second St.

However, food service officials say prohibiting outside caterers is necessary to uphold union agreements and ensure sanitation guidelines are met.

According to student center rules, anyone renting a room for a party or banquet must buy all food and drink directly from the center’s catering.

But that process forces students to pay exorbitant prices on top of student fees that already go to the student center, student leaders charge.

Student Regent Jim Mertes and Campus Activities Board member Eric Eide believe the rule simply wastes money.

“I think the prices are too high. Either the student center should allow groups to bring in outside food, or they should make their prices more competitive,” Mertes said.

“I think it is a monopoly. If their prices are competitive, it’s no problem; but if prices are exorbitant, then I think they’re taking advantage of the situation,” Wilson said.

However, food service director Phyllis Roush believes the catering prices at the student center are very reasonable.

“We cannot allow groups to bring food in from the outside for sanitation reasons, and we have certain rules to uphold agreements with our union employees,” Roush said.

Mertes pointed to the $9.50 charge per gallon of hot water including 10 tea and coffee bags used to prepare beverages.

Dinner buffet, individual dinner, and hors d’oeuvres prices were obtained from the Hillside restaurant and Whitmans catering, 1503 E. Lincoln Highway. These prices were pitted against menu items of similar quality and quantity offered by student center catering.

To cater 100 people or more with a dinner buffet that offers a meat selection, including vegetable, fruit, bread, salad, desert, beverage and labor, the student center charges $12.50 per person.

For the same package a student organization will pay $10.00 per person to have the Hillside cater the function, and $6.50 per person with Whitman’s catering.

Multiply this by 100, and a student organization will save $250 per function by hiring the Hillside, and $600 per function opting for Whitman’s.

Appetizer prices include $4.75 per pound bag of potato chips, and $5.85 per pint of dip. Eagle food stores sell Jays potato chips at $1.89 per pound, and Muller-Pinehurst dip for $1.09 per pint.

Wilson said he understands the student center’s position, but only if prices for catering events are competitive.

Eide said organizations such as the CAB art committee which continually uses student center catering, are letting wasted dollars add up over the course of the year.

“I don’t think it’s fair that we should pay so much more when our student fees are already chipping in,” Eide said.

Another possible reason for higher prices in the student center catering menu could be the extravagant labels given to very common refreshments.

According to Eide, the regular portion of “French Veggies” requested by the art committee consists of celery and carrot sticks at $6.35 per pound.

Room rental in the price comparison is negligible because rooms are available to Student Association recognized organizations at no cost.