New Plan: More costly...less flexibility?
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Editorial
The College's latest meal plan has led to some kinks: an over-crowded cafeteria, fewer people using the option for non-Cafeteria dining options during mealtime, and an increase in the cost of the meal plan. The Stentor supports the Administration and Student Government in how it valued student opinion throughout the survey and understanding that students wanted "more flexibility" and the college had to pay more for the added service of the Mohr Student Center, but The Stentor editorial board is asking for a thorough assessment as to how the meal plan is meeting student's needs and how the plan can be better advertised and demystified.
Cost facts
Last year, a student could have 20 meals in the cafeteria or in the Outta Here line, and $100 on their flex account. Thus, in the 30-week 2005-06 school year, students received 600 meals at the cost of $3,070 per year and $5.12 per meal with an additional $200/year for café food and beverage.
This year, students who are enrolled in a 10-meal block-with four $6.00 meals per week using Flex dollars-end up getting 458 meals at $7.55 per meal, or $2.43 more per meal than last year. Students, on the other hand, who have all 20 meals in the cafeteria now pay $0.65 more per meal, as it now costs $5.77/meal for those students: same number of meals, but it's more costly, and there's no Outta Here option. Students who get moderately more flexibility and have 15 meals in the cafeteria and $300 flex dollars receive 90 fewer meals, with $6.78/meal or $1.66 more per meal.
The cost facts indicate less flexibility for more money. However, how many people actually used all their meals last year? How does the flexibility in the 20-meal block compare to the 10 meal block?
The main variables
Last year, the typical student would use around 17 meals/week, meaning they were sacrificing 3 meals/week or 90 meals/year. With this fact, the typical student actually paid $6.02/meal.
A sandwich, cookie, chips, fruit, and a drink-the Outta Here staple-now costs $6.75 in the Student Center. A student currently on the 10 meal block who used to have two Outta Here meals/week, can now spend $405 over the course of the year in 2006-07 and still have $745 left to spend on anything else they want. Even this year, a student who was in the habit of eating four Outta Here's could still eat that many, spending $810 of flex money over the year and still have $340 to spend on Bosco sticks, coffee, and other café items.
Cost facts
Last year, a student could have 20 meals in the cafeteria or in the Outta Here line, and $100 on their flex account. Thus, in the 30-week 2005-06 school year, students received 600 meals at the cost of $3,070 per year and $5.12 per meal with an additional $200/year for café food and beverage.
This year, students who are enrolled in a 10-meal block-with four $6.00 meals per week using Flex dollars-end up getting 458 meals at $7.55 per meal, or $2.43 more per meal than last year. Students, on the other hand, who have all 20 meals in the cafeteria now pay $0.65 more per meal, as it now costs $5.77/meal for those students: same number of meals, but it's more costly, and there's no Outta Here option. Students who get moderately more flexibility and have 15 meals in the cafeteria and $300 flex dollars receive 90 fewer meals, with $6.78/meal or $1.66 more per meal.
The cost facts indicate less flexibility for more money. However, how many people actually used all their meals last year? How does the flexibility in the 20-meal block compare to the 10 meal block?
The main variables
Last year, the typical student would use around 17 meals/week, meaning they were sacrificing 3 meals/week or 90 meals/year. With this fact, the typical student actually paid $6.02/meal.
A sandwich, cookie, chips, fruit, and a drink-the Outta Here staple-now costs $6.75 in the Student Center. A student currently on the 10 meal block who used to have two Outta Here meals/week, can now spend $405 over the course of the year in 2006-07 and still have $745 left to spend on anything else they want. Even this year, a student who was in the habit of eating four Outta Here's could still eat that many, spending $810 of flex money over the year and still have $340 to spend on Bosco sticks, coffee, and other café items.