Answers to your questions
We all remember eating a meal and connecting with classmates or friends in the cafeteria at Avondale. It is a significant place on our Lake Macquarie campus. So, you may have questions about the lease of the building to a new restaurant business, one of several initiatives of Avondale University Partnership Alliance. Here are some answers to those questions.
What is Avondale University Partnership Alliance?
Avondale University Partnership Alliance seeks funding from donors and the expertise from business professionals to help Avondale University fulfil its mission.
Who manages Avondale University Partnership Alliance?
Avondale University Partnership Alliance is managed by an independent six-member board. Members of the board include Avondale University’s vice-chancellor and other professionals. The current board chair is Keith Johnson from Johnson Property Group.
Do Avondale University Partnership Alliance board members receive any personal benefit?
No. All are donating their time and talents.
Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church support Avondale University Partnership Alliance?
Yes. The president of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, who is also chancellor of Avondale University, endorses Avondale University Partnership Alliance. The church’s chief financial officer is an Avondale University Partnership Alliance board member.
Is Avondale University Partnership Alliance another Avondale College Foundation?
No. Avondale University Partnership Alliance does not invest money from donors, pay any return on investment or manage an investment fund.
7@Avondale is a restaurant business. Will Avondale University Partnership Alliance keep any of its profit?
No. Any profit from 7@Avondale will benefit Avondale University. Profit will primarily support the student experience, including the ACE Lab wellbeing program, classroom technology and service learning trips, and research.
So, why have you leased the cafeteria to 7@Avondale?
The Property Trust of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church owns all buildings at Avondale University. It leased the cafeteria to 7@Avondale, for two reasons.
The first? The student experience is one of Avondale University Partnership Alliance’s key projects. 7@Avondale supports the student experience by offering healthy and tasty meals in a bright and fresh space.
The second? 7@Avondale relieves Avondale University of a service that cost about $400,000 a year to provide. 7@Avondale plans to recoup this cost by: catering for staff members and on-campus conferences and events organised by external clients, and later in the year; opening to members of the community—hours, even outside of semester, will likely be 7 am to 10 pm.
The cafeteria is a 55-year-old building. It needed renovation and refurbishment. Who’s funding this?
The Property Trust funded the renovation of the building. 7@Avondale is funding the refurbishment and the operational costs, including staffing—two full-time chefs plus casuals.
Members of the community expect restaurants to open on weekends. Will 7@Avondale serve food on Sabbath?
Yes. 7@Avondale’s primary clientele are students, and they will get to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on Sabbath. Other customers will be able to purchase a pre-paid card. 7@Avondale will adjust its Sabbath menu to reduce meal preparation time.
Will 7@Avondale serve caffeinated drinks and meat?
7@Avondale has developed a seasonal vegetarian menu that follows food and beverage guidelines developed by the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Will students pay more for eating at 7@Avondale than they used to at the cafeteria?
It depends on the choices they make. Students can choose from three meal packages and will use a “charge” card to pay only for what they eat when they eat it. Credit rolls over from week to week and from semester one to semester two.
Parking near the cafeteria is limited. Won’t this deter members of the community from dining at 7@Avondale?
The Property Trust is discussing car parking options with Avondale University and 7@Avondale.
What happens when the lease to 7@Avondale ends?
7@Avondale will handover the cafeteria to Avondale University when its lease ends. The handover will include any new kitchen equipment such as the stone-bake pizza oven and commercial kettles.