Changes within Dining Services this year, most notably the revamping of meal plans, have resulted in increased flexibility regarding the use of meals and Dining Dollars on campus. These adjustments, along with the rising popularity of the Merchants on Points (MOPS) program, led to shifts in both the dynamics of Tufts dining and Dining Services finances.
The revised meal-plan system affords students greater freedom to choose when they use meals. This semester, the increased usage of Dining Dollars led to a decrease in the number of students frequenting the main dining halls and an increase in the use of alternative options such as the campus center Commons, the Hodgdon take-out service, and the MOPS restaurants.
Dining Services Director Patti Lee Kros said that she has received a great deal of positive feedback concerning these changes. However, the drop in the number of students eating in the dining halls - also a result of the smaller number of students enrolled in meal plans - may have an impact on Dining Services finances.
"There are fixed costs associated with keeping Carmichael and Dewick open seven days a week," Klos said. "If there is a decline in the number of students in the dining halls, we need to push towards assessing what is economically feasible."
The new meal plans provide students with a bloc of meals for the semester, which is a change from last year when they were allotted a fixed number of meals per week. While freshmen are still required to purchase the premium plan, that option now provides unlimited meals at any time instead of 20 meals a week. The majority of sophomores chose the revamped plan that offers 160 meals and $510 dining dollars per semester. While the actual number of meals must be renewed each semester, Dining Dollars can be carried over from one term to the next.
Students have long complained about paying for meals they do not consume, but Klos said that the need to cover such costs is the primary reason that meals do not roll over from one semester to the next.
"We use that money to pay for the costs involved in operating the facilities," she said.
The revamped plans proved popular, and the number of students on the 160 plan doubled this year. The expansion of the Dining Dollars program drew over 400 participants who would otherwise have chosen the premium plan to apply for lesser plans such as the 220 and the 160. Hodgdon take-out also saw the number of meals it serves increase this semester, as its transition to an a-la-carte format with individual pricing of items provides students with more freedom and choice.
"The plan offers the best of both worlds, since you have the choice to eat in the dining halls, at the campus center, or order in," sophomore Viola Manteufel said. "There's plenty of value and flexibility to it."
"There are 12 different places on campus to eat, and students just wanted more flexibility, so dining dollars was expanded," Klos said.
While the changes in meal plans affected the number of meals eaten in the dining halls, Klos said that they have not had an overall negative effect on the inflow of money. "We are about at budget in terms of projections, so these changes haven't been a boon," said Klos.
Dining Services has a $13 million budget, with over $1 million in stored reserves. "The common perception is that this money means the department generates a $1 million profit, which is a misconception," said Klos, who was quick to point out that the department is self-insured. "If a building roof suddenly comes off or there is an emergency, we need to cover those costs. We cannot be a drain to the University," she said.
Klos also cited financial concerns as a reason why she has been hesitant to act on student suggestions that an additional restaurant be added to the MOPS program. Though the prospect of including another merchant in the program is not outside the realm of possibilities, the impact of that change on covering the fixed costs must be evaluated, because an increase in student utilization of the MOPS program would translate into a further decrease in the number of students using the dining halls.
"The additional outflow of money to outside merchants has implications for the University," said Klos.
Klos also said that one of the motivations for wanting thelower classes to eat in the dining halls is the importance of in creating an environment of living and learning in the context of a community. "I'm looking at this philosophically as well as financially," she said.
Though the changes within Dining Services this year have satisfied the majority of students, some believe there is room for improvement. "Many of the MOPS restaurants close early, so you can't get food from them late at night," junior Jolene Stewart said. "I'd also like to see more variety within the program."
The rise in the number of students using Dining Dollars rather than actual dining hall meals has caused overcrowding in places like the Campus Center, traditionally used by upperclassmen.
"It's frustrating that the campus center is so crowded because of all the sophomores on points," senior Tracy Hoskinson said. "Lunch is now such a huge time investment because of the lines."
Students are also frustrated with the odd hours of the campus center Commons, which is no longer open on Saturdays. The change was made because there were typically few students at the Commons at off-peak hours and there tends to be a shortage of student staffers on weekends.
But Klos was confident that accommodations could be made with enough student support. "If we see there is a growing demand in any particular area, we can adjust for that," she said.
