New meal plans proposed for off-campus students, seniors
Josh Rutenberg
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
Seniors and off-campus students may soon see another option on the list of meal plan choices if barriers to planning such a drastic change can be overcome.
The new plan, a joint effort between the Student Association and Residential Dining Director David McDonald, will explore the feasibility of a meal option that would allow seniors and off-campus students to purchase a yearly package of 10 meals per week.
Currently, students living on-campus have only one meal plan option: 19 meals per week. Off-campus students currently also have the option to purchase the 19-meal plan, a five-meal plan or not to purchase a meal plan at all. The newly proposed plan would be available to seniors and fifth year students, as well as all off-campus students.
McDonald said the current meal plan arrangement discourages many off-campus students from eating in the serveries.
"Not a lot of off-campus students eat here at lunch," McDonald said. "Off-campus students would be paying a lot [more] with a larger meal plan than with tetra points at the door."
In addition to adding the 10 meals per week plan, McDonald said he also hopes to increase awareness about the current five meals per week plan offered to off-campus students.
Student Association External Vice President Nicholas Muscara lauded the increased options that Housing and Dining would be offering.
"Our goal is to offer students more of a choice," Muscara said.
The project began last semester when Muscara, a Martel College sophomore, and Selim Sheikh, a Martel Senator, investigated ways to change the meal plan options. At the time, Sheikh, a sophomore, was pushing for more options for Muslim students during Ramadan. After he talked with McDonald, the plan began to form.
Muscara said he has spoken with the SA senate about the additional meal plan options and has received an overwhelmingly positive response. Muscara pointed out that the new plans would be beneficial to a large number of seniors who have responsibilities such as jobs that require them to be off campus often. He said he also feels that the addition of the new plan might attract seniors back on campus.
The new plan, a joint effort between the Student Association and Residential Dining Director David McDonald, will explore the feasibility of a meal option that would allow seniors and off-campus students to purchase a yearly package of 10 meals per week.
Currently, students living on-campus have only one meal plan option: 19 meals per week. Off-campus students currently also have the option to purchase the 19-meal plan, a five-meal plan or not to purchase a meal plan at all. The newly proposed plan would be available to seniors and fifth year students, as well as all off-campus students.
McDonald said the current meal plan arrangement discourages many off-campus students from eating in the serveries.
"Not a lot of off-campus students eat here at lunch," McDonald said. "Off-campus students would be paying a lot [more] with a larger meal plan than with tetra points at the door."
In addition to adding the 10 meals per week plan, McDonald said he also hopes to increase awareness about the current five meals per week plan offered to off-campus students.
Student Association External Vice President Nicholas Muscara lauded the increased options that Housing and Dining would be offering.
"Our goal is to offer students more of a choice," Muscara said.
The project began last semester when Muscara, a Martel College sophomore, and Selim Sheikh, a Martel Senator, investigated ways to change the meal plan options. At the time, Sheikh, a sophomore, was pushing for more options for Muslim students during Ramadan. After he talked with McDonald, the plan began to form.
Muscara said he has spoken with the SA senate about the additional meal plan options and has received an overwhelmingly positive response. Muscara pointed out that the new plans would be beneficial to a large number of seniors who have responsibilities such as jobs that require them to be off campus often. He said he also feels that the addition of the new plan might attract seniors back on campus.
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