When nuCuisine, Residence Hall Association and Associated Student Government set out to revamp NU’s meal plan system in 2010, they had a lot to consider. Students had long complained about high prices and a lack of flexibility in the plans, which had gone unchanged for nearly a decade.
In May, they revealed the new proposal, which retained two of the more popular options from the old system within a more streamlined frame. Starting this quarter, all students can choose from a weekly 13, a weekly 14 with three equivalency meals or an unlimited plan with two equivalency meals. Upperclassmen also have the option of choosing a block plan which provides 350 meals and 300 WildCat points per year. Non-residents, such as students living off campus and those living in Greek houses, have the option of a weekly six meals.
“We were constantly hearing that it was too expensive and that it was inflexible,” said Matt Bellassai, former Associated Student Government vice president of student life. “The changes were definitely just in response to feedback and complaints from the students.”
Both Bellassai and McCormick senior Katie Bradford, who now holds Bellassai’s former position, said while it is early in the year, the students they have spoken with are giving generally positive feedback.
“Some people who were concerned last year have already had their questions answered,” Bradford said. “It’s a big change but I think that they’re going to be open about it.”
Some students believe the changes have simplified their meal plan routines. Under the old system, students could choose from four different block plans, which offered a fixed number of meals and points per quarter, two weekly plans, which provided a set number of meals per week and unlimited or non-resident plans. The new program is consolidated, with a different set of weekly plans and only one block plan in addition to the unlimited and non-resident plans.
“Honestly, I don’t know how useful it was to students to have four different block plans,” McCormick sophomore Neil Mehta said. “Maybe putting them all into one block plan makes things easier for the school and for people who are trying to decide.”
Students living in Greek houses say they have benefited as well. They operate under the non-resident plan of six dining hall meals a week, which come in addition to the 12 meals a week they receive at their fraternity or sorority.
While ASG members have reported generally positive feedback, some students have been less satisfied with the revamped plan.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Medill sophomore Caroline Chauvet said. “I don’t eat enough for unlimited. Fourteen is not much better than 13, both of which would not last the whole week for me so I would still be spending money on the side. That defeats the purpose of having the meal plan in the first place.”
Chauvet said while she is currently on the block plan, she often worries about running out of meals, limiting herself to two a day. She said the block plans offered in previous years, which provided students with more options for meals and points, was more worthwhile for the prices the University charges.
Weinberg sophomore Lauren Hall, who lives in her sorority house, said she has received more meals as a result of the changed plans.
“I usually eat three meals a day, so that’s 21 a week,” Hall said. “If I wasn’t living in a (sorority) house and I was living in a dorm, I wouldn’t have enough meals.”
One component of the new meal plans that has generated complaints is the limiting of the block plan for upperclassmen only. The purpose of the limitation is to form a “safety net” for new students, according to Bradford, who told The Daily in May the change would allow for more interaction between freshmen.
“Encouraging freshman to eat in the dining halls is an important component of how community is formed at Northwestern,” Bradford said.
Many freshmen, as well as upperclassmen, are less enthusiastic about the restriction.
“Quite frankly the notion that freshmen build a community solely through the dining halls is a little ridiculous,” Communication freshman Francesca Allegra said. “Regardless of where people eat, they will have ample socialization time with whomever they please; whether they do this at Norris or downtown Evanston or in the dining halls, it’s bound to happen.”
Many upperclassmen also pointed out many students go to the dining halls alone or to study, and are not always there with friends or to build a community.
“It feels weird when people are in groups and you’re alone,” Weinberg junior Jack Basten, who now lives off campus, said. “You know that there’s a community around you when you’re in the dining hall, but I don’t know if it should be forced through meal plans.”
While student complaints may eventually lead to more meal plan changes, Bradford said ASG wants to give the new system more time.
“I don’t think it’s likely that we’ll completely revamp the meal plan in the next year, but we’ll work with students to fix little things about (individual plans)” Bradford said. “Definitely if students have concerns they should talk to me or someone else in the committee, or they should talk to the administration since they’ve been so helpful in the process.”
