“I don’t think they should be required to purchase it,” he said. “I think it should probably be strongly encouraged to them, but I don’t think it should be required.” 

Housing and Dining Services officials finalized the details of the meal plan last week that Arlington Hall residents will be required to purchase. Those residents will choose from one of four plans. University employees and students also have the option to purchase the meal plan.

Wyl Parker, Housing and University Center director, said the meal plan was something the department had hoped to implement for years, and the new hall made it possible.

“According to our recruiters, parents would like to have a place where students could live and have a meal plan,” he said. “By having this number of beds in that facility, we can make this meal plan work.”

Two of the plans give students credit on their Mav Express cards toward the purchase of food at other establishments on campus, such as The Corral.

Parker said the Mav Express card will add flexibility to the meal plans.

For $880, students have the choice of 19 meals per week or 14 meals per week and a $75 credit on their Mav Express cards. At $825, students have the option of 14 meals a week or 10 meals a week and a $125 credit on their cards. Costs of the meal plans are per semester.

The money on the Mav Express cards can only be used at other Aramark-operated facilities, Parker said. Dining Services will use the Mav Express card to identify students on the meal plan.

Without the meal plan, students eating in the cafeteria would pay $3 for breakfast, $5.75 for lunch and $6.25 for dinner.

The 19 meals-a-week plan averages out to less than $3 a meal.

The Paradise Café will be expanded later this spring to meet the needs of the buffet format of the plan, Parker said.

Food Service director Diane Sullivan said phone calls from families with students here prompted the meal plan. 

“I have been here four years,” she said. “It’s not just students. The parents have been complaining. They want a meal plan here. I think it will work.”

“It’s all you can eat,” he said. “It’s not the traditional cafeteria type where you go through the line. You’ve got stations to go to.”

The cafeteria will offer three meals a day on weekdays and brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

Sullivan said the four meal plans resembled basic boarding plans used at other universities.

Rene Gomez, Science and Engineering library assistant, said the decision to open the cafeteria during the weekend would be well received by students.

“That’s actually a very good idea to have it open on weekends,” he said. “One of the complaints I hear is that there’s nothing to do here on weekends. At least they’re giving them something to eat.”

Payment for the meal plan will be made in two equal installments. The first installment will be due Sept. 1 with the second installment tentatively due Oct. 1.

“We’re going to look at that second installment and see if we can stretch it a little bit, but that has not been decided yet,” he said.

Parker said students who purchase the meal plan should be prepared to eat the meals.

“Let’s say that you buy a meal plan at the first of the year,” he said. “Then you say ‘I’m tired of eating this,’ you’re going to lose your money. There’s no refund.” 

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