Negotiations between Aramark and Pomona are not yet finished as promised, administrators announced Wednesday.

Wednesday was the date administrators had set two weeks ago for negotiations to be finished, but the deadline has been extended for another week. "We said we would be done by April 14," said Director of the Campus Center Neil Gerard Wednesday, "[but] we are not."

Gerard explained that while the general contract for the five colleges has been negotiated, the specifics of Pomona’s individual contract with Aramark have yet to be finalized.

Pomona currently has many benefits above the standard Aramark contract. Items such as Frary being open until 8pm for dinner and Snack are examples of these special allowances which are found only at Pomona and for which Pomona pays extra money. It is these benefits which are still in the process of being negotiated.

"We are weighing our options," stated Gerard. "[Pomona] will have fewer perks next year." He explained that Aramark has given Pomona a monetary figure for next year, along with a comprehensive list of the costs of each of Pomona’s benefits. Gerard explained that Pomona is now in the process of reviewing the benefits and trying to lower Aramark’s figure by giving up some of them.

This new figure will still be higher than what the College paid this year and what was originally agreed to in the contract with Aramark. "I feel it is very unfortunate to be jerked around like this, [but] it’s too late in the year to attempt to change [dining services]," stated President Peter Stanley. He affirmed that, in his opinion, Aramark will "do it right [next year] or go."

Room and board fees for the upcoming year have already been approved by the Board of Trustees, and Stanley and Gerard both maintain that the increase in cost will not be passed onto students in future years. Rather, the College will absorb the cost itself, realizing reduced savings from the original, lower cost of Aramark’s contract. This money had originally been set aside to renovate Frary in four years.

"Frary will still be renovated, but not necessarily on the same schedule or with the same money," stated Stanley.

Gerard maintained that the negotiations were near completion, and he stated that he hoped they would be finished within a week. He reiterated that Pomona’s goal was still to provide students with the best dining service for the best price.

"We can’t serve students gruel 19 times a week," quipped Gerard. "We’ve agreed on 13."