MAT SCOTT

News Editor

DCGA senators were informed at the Senate on Feb. 9 that Bon Appetit and the Dining Committee were proposing changes to student meal plans which would eliminate the declining dollar system and replace it with a meal swipe system. The West College meal plan would also be eliminated.

The proposal was met with much debate from DCGA, prompting their longest meeting of the year, according to Senator Mike Angelo ’19 and PR Chair Lily Gross ’19.

The new plans were brought to the attention of DCGA the week before they were to be put in effect, and senators said they were the first group approached by the Dining Committee.

“The Dining Committee felt that the plans needed to be altered after receiving concerns about the point

balance of students on the meal plan,” said Dining Committee Representative Dria Nickles ‘17. “When we looked at this we found that a significant portion of the student body, specifically on the West College Plan, had run out or was close to running out of their declining dollars by November of last semester; thus leaving them without meals and money for food for the remaining part of the semester.”

“This to us was a huge concern, and we worried that the health of these students was at stake,” Nickles said.

        With the new proposed plans, the declining dollar system would be replaced with a system of meal swipes. Students would be allotted a certain number of “swipes” per week depending on their plan, and those swipes would expire on Sunday at 4 a.m. Students would also have four swipes useable at the Nest and Slayter after 5 p.m., which would also expire on Sunday 4 a.m., in addition to $420 in debit dollars useable at any time of day.

        The cost of plans would also be raised by $200 with the exception of the senior plans, which would be raised by $100.

        After having attended the Dining Committee meeting on Thurs., Angelo said that Bon Appetit and the Dining Committee were willing to compromise on the new plans due to the strong negative reaction.

        “They were very willing and considerate,” Angelo said. “They were willing to do things to help offset the negativity.”

        Compromises might include swipes accruing rather than expiring on a weekly basis.