Penn Dining will be serving up some changes following the ideas of a recent Undergraduate Assembly proposal advocating improvements in food quality, variety and service.
The goal "is to help students feel that they're really getting a good value for their dollar," Dining Contract and Relationship Manager Laurie Cousart said.
Although many of the UA's suggestions will be implemented, Penn Dining has asked representatives to make their recommendations more specific before additional changes can be made.
One change will be an increase from a three-week menu rotation cycle to a four-week rotation next fall.
Penn Dining will also work with the student-run group FARMecology to bring organic foods from local providers to dining halls this semester for a series of special events.
Additionally, Dining will address the UA's concern that products are not properly stocked by adding a new milk machine in 1920 Commons, which frequently runs out of milk during busy meal times.
Dining also plans to have two more karaoke nights in the dining halls this semester and will reach out to student comedy groups to create a comedy night sometime in the future.
Additional menu items have already been added at McClelland Express, and Dining is also "looking very seriously" at extending operating hours at the Quadrangle location this fall.
Continuous service at 1920 Commons as well as hour extensions at Triangle Diner and Subway have already been made as a result of UA feedback.
In their proposal, the UA also suggested collaboration with restaurants such as Qdoba or Greek Lady for unique menu nights.
"It's something we're definitely open to exploring," Business Services spokeswoman Rhea Lewis said.
It is more likely that Dining would bring in a local guest chef to do culinary training for a special event, Lewis added.
However, Penn Dining has not yet contacted restaurants or begun research on the idea.
Next year, upperclassmen will be able to choose a smaller meal plan to which they can add dining dollars or meals. Officials have not finished looking at the suggested all-dining dollar meal plan, however.
Decisions on meal plan options for next fall will be finalized in early April.
Although students will not be able to carry over meals to the next year, Dining is considering implementing a loyalty program that may give students some sort of incentive to continue with their meal plans.
Students will still not be able to convert meals to dining dollars or vice versa.
Speak your mind
Students can make personal Dining requests by filling out the "Fishing for Feedback" forms located in each dining hall or sending an e-mail to dining@pobox.upenn.edu.E-mail suggestions are read within 24 hours and responded to within 48 hours. Dining Contract and Relationship Manager Laurie Cousart estimated that it takes a week or two for before accepted requests are met."I think students don't ask specifically because they don't know that it can happen that quickly," Business Services spokeswoman Rhea Lewis said. "If something can happen quickly, it usually does."
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