Update on Starbucks on campus

By Katherine Lovelidge

KU’s MSU Starbucks has been closed since students began to arrive on campus for the fall semester.

While Aramark, KU’s contracted food service provider, is actively recruiting to staff the Starbucks, the process is far from simple. 

Elizabeth Kolb, a KU Student Government Board Representative, reached out to KU’s dining services to find out why Starbucks closed. 

In an email response from Desiree Reasoner, Executive Director of Residence Life, Housing, and Dining Services at KU, Reasoner outlined the next steps for the coffee shop. 

The first step is hiring a general manager. This is a full time, non-student position. At the moment, Aramark has identified candidates and is holding interviews. 

Once a manager is identified, the store will also need to hire two full-time, non-student lead positions, who, in a similar manner to the general manager, will need to complete a specific training program. 

Both student and non-student barista positions can be filled only after a manager is hired, as the manager is required to be onsite for the training of both store leads and baristas. In addition, baristas must complete a week of training before they may begin work. 

“Needing to adhere to the national brand standard of Starbucks makes the process far more complex and time consuming than the ones in place to acquire and train staff for such entities as the South Dining Hall and the Cub Café,” Reasoner writes.