Health regulations halt Valentine's Day bake sale

Every year the Art History Association hosts a bake sale in the Fine Arts Building in order to raise money. But this year, the association will not have the opportunity to sell baked goods. \nDue to University health regulations, the group is prohibited from selling home-baked goods as part of a Valentine's Day fundraiser. \n"Bake sales have always been AHA's most successful fundraiser," said Lauren Cordes Tate, chair of the fundraising committee. "And it is a great opportunity to do something fun for Valentine's Day with our colleagues in the Fine Arts Building."\nCordes Tate said she discovered that there would be no bake sale from "higher ups" in the University.\n"According to the University lawyers, we cannot sell food on campus that is not catered by a place with a certified health certificate," Cordes Tate said.\nIU Director of Media Relations Larry MacIntyre said IU does not necessarily prohibit bake sales, but it does prohibit the sale of foods that were prepared at home. \nMacIntyre said the Indiana State Department of Health mandates that "food prepared in a private home may not be used or offered for human consumption in a food establishment," a standard that also applies to items sold at bake sales.\n"The AHA could have a bake sale with prepackaged items that are commercially processed, or they could sell bake goods prepared in a commercial and licensed kitchen," MacIntyre said.\nFor example, MacIntyre said Sugar and Spice, in the Indiana Memorial Union, provides the goods to sell because they are licensed and the kitchen is a commercial kitchen.\n"There have been some recent changes on the state level when it comes to nonprofits," MacIntyre said. "If they wanted to sell goods off campus and they are truly a nonprofit organization, then they could sell products from home, but they would have to include a full ingredient statement and the name of the preparer with contact information."\nIn addition, the Monroe County Health Department would need to be contacted, and IU's policy is stricter because of the increased liability in the university setting, MacIntyre said. \nIt is possible to get a temporary permit for special events, Cordes Tate said, but due to time restrictions, it would not be possible for the group to get the permit before Valentine's Day. \nCurrently, Cordes Tate said, the Art History Association is brainstorming new fundraising ideas such as having a car wash in the spring.\n"We try to have at least one fundraiser per semester to raise money for AHA," Cordes Tate said. "The money helps to pay for a number of things, but perhaps most importantly, it contributes to the funds needed for the yearly art history graduate student symposium."\nFor this event, Cordes Tate said the graduate students are responsible for obtaining all necessary funds, and the money the Art History Association raises also helps fund the welcoming party for the incoming graduate students.