What is a NACUFS Review?
NACUFS, which stands for National Association of College and University Food Services, offers a Professional Practices Visitation Program to member institutions. This service provides colleges and universities with a voluntary and non-binding operational review of their food service departments. Visitation teams are composed of campus food service professionals who donate their time and expertise on behalf of the association. NACUFS Website


All reviews are based on the Professional Practices in College and University Food Services Manual (PPM), published by NACUFS. The PPM is an assessment guide and professional development tool. Visitation teams use the PPM to review the degree to which certain best practices are being met in an operation.


Host institutions invite a team leader and a group of team reviewers to the campus upon which on-site diagnostic reviews are held over a 4-5 day period. The review process is collaborative and collegial and the institution receives feedback in both oral and written formats.


In preparation for this visit, the institution prepares a self-assessment based on principles in the PPM. The self-assessment process is heavily dependent on input from the dining services staff and accurate records maintained by the institution.


Why have a Professional Practices Visit?
A professional practices visit offers a NACUFS member institution a relatively inexpensive way to have its food service department reviewed by an objective outside team of campus dining professionals using a set of carefully developed best practices for the college and university dining industry. When combined with a self-assessment process based on the PPM, the NACUFS visitation program provides an invaluable opportunity for training and improved operational performance. In fact, the self-assessment component of a visitation often leads to significant internal improvements that precede the arrival of the peer review team!


Who is involved in a NACUFS Review?
All dining services staff are involved in the NACUFS Review and receive information and updates about the review through the Dining Services Office or through this website. Involvement includes interviews with the Institutional Liaison, Vicki Wade, discussion groups led by department directors, individual feedback and participation during the peer visit.


The Offices of Human Resources, Accounting, ITS and others are also interviewed by team members.





Questions about the NACUFS Review or this website may be directed to the Grinnell College Institutional Liaison:
Vicki J. Wade
Services Specialist
Grinnell College
Old Glove Factory, 733 Broad Street
Grinnell, Iowa 50112
wadev@grinnell.edu; 641-269-3044