Cooperation between administrators and students has led to a new meal plan proposal that will provide students with a wider variety of food options at a better value next year, said student members of the Dining Services Committee who helped design the changes.
The committee, composed of about 15 students, representatives from Sodexho-Marriott, dining hall heads and a member of student housing, brainstormed ideas to improve Northwestern’s meal plan structure. Administrators then provided feedback on the feasibility of those ideas, said Prashant Velagaleti, a student member of the committee.
“I felt like (administrators) were doing a really good job of incorporating our ideas as much as possible,” said Claire Wilmoth, a member of the Dining Services Committee and Williard Residential college president.
Students said they appreciated the variety of the new plan which features 14 options, but also wanted any revised system to fix food quality.
“Some reform was needed, and it looks like they tried to put in more flexibility,” said Rose Wu, a Weinberg freshmen. “NU students have very different schedules; we don’t want to be limited to eating at certain hours.”
Weinberg freshman Justin Bamberger said his problem with the dining halls is not so much the number of allocated meals but rather the food quality, as he often spends his own money to eat out instead of using his dining options.
“Right now so many of my meals go unused and I don’t even think about it,” said Bamberger, who is currently on the 13-meal flex plan.
The new system offers 14 different meal choices to students as opposed to the 12 options featured in the traditional and flex plans. The Bonus Bucks system will be replaced by a similar one using points.
Six of the new options, called unlimited access plans, allow students as many meals in the dining hall as they desire, with some day and time restrictions, and between 200 and 300 points per year.
Two block plans allow a specified number of meals per year, without day or time restrictions, and up to 900 points. The block plans are comparable to flex plans, but committee members said they will be a better value as the set number of meals can help dining halls improve their planning.
The traditional 13, 16 and 19 meal per week plans will remain unchanged. One off-campus meal plan, with five meals per week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, will be added.
A new feature, Munch Money, lets students put a set amount of money on their Wildcards at the beginning of the quarter. Munch Money deposits of more than $100 will have a 5 percent credit, and more than $200 will receive a 10 percent credit. Munch Money will serve as the equivalent of cash at Willie’s Food Court, Willie’s Too and Tech Express.
“Getting 110 percent for your money is a lot better than, say, 80 percent for the flex plan,” said Kawika Pierson, a student committee member, in favor of the Munch Money system.
The new plan also seeks to make dining hall hours more convenient by extending service at two dining halls. The Foster-Walker Complex dining hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. while Sargent Hall’s dining hall will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Pierson emphasized that improving the dining system on campus remains an ongoing process.
“If students don’t like it, they can change it again next year,” said Pierson, a McCormick sophomore.
Speech freshman Mike Kopera said he hopes the committee continues to make improvements.
“I’m looking forward to the new plan, but if they want to revise something, revise the food, for crying out loud,” Kopera said.
