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Students frustrated by meal plan

Miami adds two buffet locations

By Bonnie Meibers, Senior Staff Writer

After student complaints, Miami University has implemented new policies in its meal plans and dining options for this school year.

Chief among these changes is a new meal plan that allows students to purchase a set number of buffet meal "swipes" for use at dining halls, as well as a declining balance that can be used at a la carte locations. Similar to its predecessor, the new plan consists of several tiers with varying amounts of buffet swipes and declining dollars.

Brian Woodruff, director of the Housing Options, Meals and Events (H.O.M.E.) office, said the changes were made as a response to feedback from students and parents, who were unhappy about the $1,625 program assessment fee previously included as part of students' meal plans.

The new plan offerings are structured around the buffet swipe system, and the H.O.M.E. office has consequently renovated dining facilities to accommodate the changes.

Over the summer, Bell Tower Place and Maple Street Station's Pacific Rim were converted into buffet-style dining halls and Red Brick Pizza, also at Maple Street Station, was replaced with The Q, a barbecue joint. Martin Dining Hall was also reopened after being closed for construction last academic year, doubling the number of buffets on campus from three to six.

Jon Brubacher, interim director of dining services, said that Bell Tower Place and Pacific Rim were made into buffet dining locations to ensure that there was buffet dining conveniently located near students in those areas. Although Bell Tower Place is no longer an a la carte dining option, a "grab-and-go" area was added to the front of the building where custom-made sandwiches and wraps, as well as a variety of packaged items, are available for purchase.

"Much thought and planning was put into ensuring that we offered convenient locations for buffet dining," Brubacher said.

But students say the increased reliance on the buffet swipe system is a hindrance.

"[The change] makes getting quick food more difficult," said sophomore Sydney Brinck. "The old [meal plan] allowed for more flexibility."

Students who were familiar with the previous meal plan find it less convenient to use while on campus.

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"It's annoying," said junior Emily Morgan. "You can't just run into Bell [Tower Place] and grab a salad anymore."

Other students have complained that because buffet dining has become one of the only options for students to choose from on campus, that dining halls have become too crowded at peak times.

"Dining halls can't handle the capacity," Brinck said. "They're too crowded."

Sophomore Gabe DeBiasi agrees.

"This year the buffets have been packed because freshmen have fewer options, so it's been tough to get a quick meal at the buffets," he said.

Lack of transparency is also among the concerns cited by students regarding the new dining options.

"I feel like the new meal plan is another example with how the university struggles with transparency," DeBiasi said. "It is an, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it,' type of a deal and at the end of the day they did it for the bottom dollar, not to help the student."

Price of food under the new plan is also a concern for many students.

"If I want to go in and grab an apple from Garden Commons, it's the same 'price' as a stir fry with a salad and fruit bowl with a Starbucks coffee," said first-year Carly Nash.

Students were so unhappy with the changes to meal plan that a petition, written by ASG senators, was circulated around campus last semester to show the student body's opposition.

Current ASG Secretary for On-Campus Affairs James Oaks said that the petition was a major step in the right direction.

"Ever since Dining presented the new version of the meal plan to us last year, we have heard tons of feedback on both sides of the issue," he said. "The most common thing I've heard is that the declining balance-only meal plan from last year fits the lifestyles of our students better and was much more flexible."

Oaks said that none of the physical changes to dining facilities, like the changes to Bell Tower Place and Pacific Rim, were shared with him until this summer.

ASG is still working with Dining Services to improve the meal plan by meeting with them regularly Oaks also said.

The Q was born from oversight. Miami University Dining learned early last spring that a company on the West Coast already owned a national trademark for the name, Red Brick Pizza.

Miami agreed to stop using the name at the end of the academic year.

While brainstorming for a new name, Brubacher said, the idea of a complete menu revamp was thrown into the mix.

"Based on feedback and requests over the past several years, we knew there was a want from students for more barbeque on campus," he said.

Miami Dining bought a commercial smoker and now offers barbeque and new side dishes at The Q.

"The initial feedback has been very positive," Brubacher said of the changes to on-campus dining. "Based on the feedback thus far and the increase in customers at our buffet operations, we are optimistic that the change to the plans will be a good one."

If not, Brubacher said, Dining Services and the H.O.M.E. office will remain committed to meeting students' needs.

"We will continue to analyze these decisions to ensure that we are providing the best service we possibly can to the greatest number of students at each dining operation," Brubacher said.

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