Students react to new meal plans
Change could come next year, if students want it
David Taintor
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Campus News
If students aren't happy with the current meal plan options at UW-Eau Claire, there might be an opportunity for change after this academic year, said Candy Wilson, associate director of university centers.
The food-service contract the university has with Sodexo is composed of seven one-year contracts, meaning the meal plans the university currently offers can be adjusted on a yearly basis according to student input, Wilson said.
"I cannot say whether we will have the same meal plans next year," Wilson said. "It depends on feedback."
Student Senator Sarah Tweedale, who heads the student services commission of the senate, hosted an informal session in the Presidents Room of Davies Center Wednesday to gather student input on the university meal plans. Only a handful of students attended the session, with concerns ranging from long lines in the cafeterias to lack of vegetarian options.
Blugold Dining General Manager Christian Wise said the university, not Sodexo, created the meal plans based on available feedback they had available at the time. He said he has received more positive feedback about this year's meal plans than he did last year.
But, junior James Hunter said his motivation to attend the meeting was based on a "widespread hatred and rage fueled at the meal plans" he's experienced among students and faculty.
Hunter currently has the All Access meal plan, but expressed some nostalgia for the transfer meals that were commonly used at Hilltop Center in past meal plans. He said Hilltop used to be a social center where students could easily interact with one another.
"Now it's pretty much a ghost town," Hunter said. "No one goes there."
Hunter said no one goes to Hilltop anymore because food there is expensive without transfer meals. Instead, he said the new plans promote the cafeteria.
A common issue with last year's meal plans was that they were finite, Wise said. Students could very well run out of meals by the end of the week, he said.
"In an effort to remedy that, the university decided that having no restrictions regarding entrance to the cafeteria would satisfy many, many concerns," Wise said.
Wilson explained that the university hosted several forums last year to gather student input when they were developing a food-service contract, adding that the final decision regarding the university's food-service contract was up to the UW System Board of Regents.
Sophomore Kelsey Thompson went to the meeting because she didn't have plans but did have opinions to voice about long lines in the cafeterias and transfer meals, she said.
She said Wilson, Wise and Tweedale answered her questions effectively. If she has any more issues with meal plans, she said she now knows who to contact.
"These people are listening," Thompson said. "We just need to talk."
The food-service contract the university has with Sodexo is composed of seven one-year contracts, meaning the meal plans the university currently offers can be adjusted on a yearly basis according to student input, Wilson said.
"I cannot say whether we will have the same meal plans next year," Wilson said. "It depends on feedback."
Student Senator Sarah Tweedale, who heads the student services commission of the senate, hosted an informal session in the Presidents Room of Davies Center Wednesday to gather student input on the university meal plans. Only a handful of students attended the session, with concerns ranging from long lines in the cafeterias to lack of vegetarian options.
Blugold Dining General Manager Christian Wise said the university, not Sodexo, created the meal plans based on available feedback they had available at the time. He said he has received more positive feedback about this year's meal plans than he did last year.
But, junior James Hunter said his motivation to attend the meeting was based on a "widespread hatred and rage fueled at the meal plans" he's experienced among students and faculty.
Hunter currently has the All Access meal plan, but expressed some nostalgia for the transfer meals that were commonly used at Hilltop Center in past meal plans. He said Hilltop used to be a social center where students could easily interact with one another.
"Now it's pretty much a ghost town," Hunter said. "No one goes there."
Hunter said no one goes to Hilltop anymore because food there is expensive without transfer meals. Instead, he said the new plans promote the cafeteria.
A common issue with last year's meal plans was that they were finite, Wise said. Students could very well run out of meals by the end of the week, he said.
"In an effort to remedy that, the university decided that having no restrictions regarding entrance to the cafeteria would satisfy many, many concerns," Wise said.
Wilson explained that the university hosted several forums last year to gather student input when they were developing a food-service contract, adding that the final decision regarding the university's food-service contract was up to the UW System Board of Regents.
Sophomore Kelsey Thompson went to the meeting because she didn't have plans but did have opinions to voice about long lines in the cafeterias and transfer meals, she said.
She said Wilson, Wise and Tweedale answered her questions effectively. If she has any more issues with meal plans, she said she now knows who to contact.
"These people are listening," Thompson said. "We just need to talk."
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