Yale university may have Renaissance man and actor James Franco enrolled in their PhD program, but Yalies eat like other mortals – and the food safety at Yale sorta sucks.

The Yale Daily News reports the Commons Dining Hall failed a routine inspection by the New Haven Health Departmen (right, exactly as shown, photo by Zoe Gorman, Yale Daily News). So did seven other local restaurants.

Commons scored 75 out of 100, with health inspectors citing chipping paint on equipment, the storage of employee food with that to be served to students, and soiled wiping cloths and cutting boards in their report.

Establishments are inspected between one and four times each year, and are graded on a scale of zero to 100 based on general cleanliness and other health-related issues. Those that score 80 or lower are given two weeks to improve their health and safety conditions before a second inspection visit.

In a bit of actual reporting – so rare these days – a journalist went out and chatted with nine Commons staff and not a one was aware of the potential health risks mentioned in the report. They deferred to Director of Residential Dining Regenia Phillips, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

This is evidence of a lousy food safety culture.

In a follow-up article, New Haven Health Department Senior Sanitarian Shellie Longo said there were no serious health risks associated with eating at Commons and most of the violations cited in the inspection have little to no effect on the food itself.

Soiled wiping clothes and cutting boards are ideal vectors for cross-contamination.

Commons General Manager Maureen O’Donnell said most of the concerns will be addressed by next week, when inspectors return. But some issues, like the installation of new hand-washing sinks, will be dealt with over the summer.

“Obviously, I am concerned [about the inspection report],” O’Donnell said. “These are violations we need to address and we will.”

Neither Rafi Taherian, the executive director of Yale Dining, nor Regenia Phillips, the director of residential dining, responded to requests for comment Wednesday.

Out of 19 students interviewed, 12 said they were surprised by the findings of Longo’s inspection report. Though all said that they would not actively avoid eating in Commons unless more serious health threats come to light, many added that they were displeased by the news.

“It’s disappointing to realize that a University-run eatery like Commons is so bad in terms of cleanliness,” said Julie Blindauer.