Dining loosens meal requirements

In response to months of student complaints over changes in meal plan options, Dining Services switched their offerings again this summer.

Massive student criticism followed last spring's announcement that all freshmen would be required to purchase a meal plan of at least 17 meals per week. Officials also drew ire after changing Penn's smallest meal plan option for all upperclassmen from 70 meals per year to 160.

The Undergraduate Assembly circulated a petition opposing the nature of the changes, claiming they were made without direct student input. University officials acknowledged last semester that the new plans were the result of financial difficulties.

As a result of Dining Services' most recent modifications, freshmen are now required to purchase a minimum of 14 meals per week with an option to downgrade to 10 meals mid-year -- a choice that was not allowed under the previous set of changes. This year marks the first time that Penn is requiring its freshmen to sign up for a meal plan.

A 110-meal-per-year option has now been opened to all upperclassmen; under last spring's announcement, this would have only been available to those living off-campus.

The summer's change for upperclassmen is still higher than in previous years, when students were offered the option of 70 meals each year.

Additional changes to the University's dining system to be implemented this fall include increased express options, a revised menu and a new double-swipe feature.

"We're trying to provide student customers with the things that they want," Campus Dining Services Marketing Manager Mary Ruggiero said. "As things change on campus... we will continue to change."

The scaled-back dining options now available were made possible only after the decision to close Stouffer Commons Dining Hall, which was also announced this summer. Meal plans had initially been increased to stabilize dining hall usage and try to fill the capacity of all four dining halls. With one less dining hall now on campus, such meal plan requirements are no longer necessary to keep the facilities full.

Last spring, Dining Services claimed that increased usage of the dining halls -- facilitated by the higher meal plans they were implementing -- would bolster the college house system by enhancing a sense of community among students. But it was later revealed that troubled finances also played a major role in the decisions.

Students who keep kosher now have several new meal plan options available to them. Although all meal plans can be used for kosher meals at Irv's Place, the kosher dining hall, the new options allow students to forgo the reservation process for Shabbat and holiday meals. Additionally, the kosher meal plans discount the surcharges required for these meals.

The University also developed special kosher meal plans to accommodate the larger meal plan now required of freshman students.

Additional menu changes, Dining officials said, were made in direct response to student satisfaction surveys, which found that students were looking for more home-style options in their dining experience.

A revised dining menu including more Mexican and chicken options will be implemented at all dining halls. The Chicken Coop will feature "all chicken all the time" and Salsa will offer vegetarian and non-vegetarian Mexican varieties, Ruggiero said.

Express breakfast and lunch options will be added to McClelland Hall in the Quad and Class of 1920 Commons. In part, these additions are to compensate for the closure of Stouffer Commons. Hill Dining Hall will continue its express lunch feature.

In addition to expanding the express option, Ruggiero said that Dining Services is working to increase the consistency of the option so that students can get the same meals at all express locations.

An exception, however, will be the express breakfast. McClelland Hall in the Quad will offer a light option while 1920 Commons will offer both a light and a heavier option.

And another new feature will allow students to either pick up an express breakfast and lunch at the same time, or have a sit-down meal and then grab an express meal on their way out by swiping their PennCards twice.

Sept. 6-14 will mark the grand opening of Penn's new dining options. The week will feature mascots, giveaways and musical entertainment to alert students to the new options on campus.

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