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University announces dining changes for fall semester

By on April 12, 2017

After numerous rumors circulating throughout the student body, Chartwells and the University officially announced the changes that will be made in dining on-campus throughout the fall 2017 semester on April 10.

There will be more options for food services around campus, such as the addition of a Starbucks and a Revolution Noodle and Sushi Bar in the Carl Hansen Student Center, a Peet’s Café on the North Haven campus and Au Bon Pain Express in the Center for Communications and Engineering, according to a university press release.

There will also be four different meal plan options that will be eligible across all three campuses. The university will have four different levels of meal plan to choose from which are platinum, gold, silver and bronze. Each meal plan will give students the opportunity to collect dining points at dining events and promotions, according to the press release.

The highest meal plan available, platinum, can be up to a $4,900 value. The press release said commuters also have the option to obtain a meal plan at the bronze level, which is $200 a semester.

Senior business management major Tyler Walsh said he does not know if increasing meal plan values will have a direct benefit.

“I think a lot of the changes are good, and I think it’s heading in the right direction of listening to what students want for like the Starbucks purpose,” Walsh said. “But I think in terms of increasing the dining costs each year, I don’t know if we’ll see a direct benefit in terms of Café Q and everything we have right now. But I’m optimistic to see what actually comes of it.”

The university also plans to enhance the campus dining experience through having all-you-can-eat events, Sunday brunch events, pop-up food stations such as popcorn night and ice cream on the Quad, an enhanced late night menu and “Day of the Week” specials. Students will also receive a free meal on their birthday, even if their birthday falls outside of the academic year.

On the York Hill campus, the convenience store area will be renovated to include a “Recipes on the Go” program which will create a New York City market vibe, according to the press release.

The press release said these changes came about because of surveys and feedback from the student body.

Vice President and Dean of Students Monique Drucker said in a statement that the university is thrilled for these new dining changes.

“I am particularly excited because these enhancements are a direct reflection of the student voice,” Drucker said. “In addition, we plan to host more campus-wide events in the dining hall as well as across the campuses, which we hope will contribute to our sense of community.”

Some students have voiced concerns about Carl Hansen Student Center Room 225 being converted into a Starbucks.

Nikime Headley, a junior sociology major and a member of Women Empowered, is irritated by the conversion.

“The only issue I have is that they’re getting rid of (SC225) for the Starbucks. Women Empowered has meetings up there, so now we’re going to have to find a whole new space for our meetings,” Headley said. “I feel like out of all the changes, that’s the one that’s irritating. We have Au Bon downstairs, so Starbucks upstairs isn’t really necessary.”

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