SUNY Potsdam students grab lunch at Lehman Dining Center.
Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services is proud to announce that SUNY Potsdam has once again been ranked No. 1 in the State University of New York system for dining services. This is the third consecutive time PACES Dining Services has received this ranking.
The 2018 SUNY Student Opinion Survey rates the 27 state-operated colleges and university centers in SUNY system. The SOS project collects information and opinions every three years, and uses the information to assess and study quality of life issues on SUNY campuses.
“PACES Dining Services deserves heartfelt congratulations for offering our students, faculty, staff and visitors the highest quality meals and service. I am proud to be able to say that SUNY Potsdam has once again been recognized as offering the very best dining experience in the State University of New York,” President Kristin G. Esterberg said.
The SUNY System Administration Office of Institutional Research and Analysis conducts the survey. The SOS survey findings are important because, unlike other studies, they rank customer satisfaction against the other 26 state-operated SUNY institutions and provide comparative data.
“We are so proud of our staff. This is a wonderful testament to their hard work over the years. To receive the ranking three consecutive times is wonderful: Our staff is always thinking about new ways to improve what we do and how we do it, and our customers appreciate their efforts. We have an amazing team of cooks, managers, servers and cashiers,” said PACES Director of Dining Services Pat Gray.
In the 2018-19 Best Campus Food Survey by Niche, SUNY Potsdam received a Grade A, and ranked 110th in the country out of 1,382 public and private institutions. SUNY Potsdam’s dining services were also recognized in Niche’s 2019 Best College Food in New York list, where the campus was ranked No. 8 out of 105 universities across the state. Niche’s top-ranked colleges offer outstanding on-campus dining—meaning students can easily access healthy, quality food across a wide range of cuisines and dietary preferences.
PACES Executive Director Daniel J. Hayes credited the PACES Board of Directors for their leadership, and the students for their continued support. To celebrate, PACES will host a Customer Appreciation Day on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in the Barrington Student Union lobby, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
PACES is a proud supporter of local businesses, seeking business collaborations and purchasing as much from regional and New York State producers and suppliers as possible. Last year, PACES purchased approximately $519,000 worth of goods from 32 producers across the state, including produce, grain-fed beef, maple syrup and baked goods from local vendors.
PACES even collaborates with the College’s Wagner Institute for Sustainability and Ecological Research, to grow fresh organic greens and herbs on campus, year-round, using tower gardens and vertical growing racks.
SUNY Potsdam has more dining facilities than any other SUNY campus of its size, with 17 dining stations in seven locations across campus. PACES offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-friendly options at every dining location, and works with students with special diets.
About PACES Dining Services:
Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services Inc. (PACES) is a not-for-profit corporation operating under contract with SUNY Potsdam. PACES’ mission is to offer high-quality products and services, while maximizing customer value and financial return, to the benefit of the larger SUNY Potsdam community. PACES Dining Services is rated the No. 1 dining service for comprehensive colleges in the SUNY system in the Student Opinion Survey. For more information about what makes PACES No. 1, visit www.potsdam.edu/offices/paces.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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