As appetizing as Aztec-Rubbed beef a la Dewick or the signature Carmichael Chicken Grilla may sound, students have long had trouble digesting some Dining Services policies. Most recently, a decision to fine students who are caught stealing food from the dining halls has left some with a bad taste in their mouths.
Theft of food from the dining halls has become more common, according to Dining Services Director Patti Lee Klos, as the meal plans allow students to take as much food as they want once they have swiped their ID cards. Starting this semester, students caught stealing food - excluding ice cream or piece of fruit being eaten on the way out - will be charged $60.
"It's not the way students' meal plans were designed," Lee Klos said. "Students can eat what they wish at the dining halls but cannot take out food for the next two or three meals- frankly, you're not on the 'take-out-all-the-food-you-want-to' plan."
Some students, however, think that this policy is unappetizing.
"I think it's a bit of an overreaction. People don't go in there and take a whole tray of food," sophomore Adrian Clarke said.
Other students see the policy as a scare tactic that is difficult to enforce.
"I'm still confused as to how they plan to enforce the policy, because approaching people they see stealing food and asking for their ID number - I don't see that being feasible," sophomore Allison Cohen said.
Cohen also disagreed with the punishment for stealing food.
"I think the $60 is a completely arbitrary number. They don't need $60 from each person who steals to balance out how much they are stealing," she said.
Another dining change this semester - the extension of hours in the dining halls to provide continuous service from 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. - brought about a positive response from students. However, if students come during a transitional time and stay for the next meal, they are asked to either wait for the next meal time or have their card swiped twice. For example, students who eat a late breakfast at 10:45 a.m. and stay past 11 a.m. are asked to have their card swiped twice.
The reason for this, Lee Klos said, is that Dining Services needs to keep check of how many students come through the door so that they can plan how much food to get. If a student eats two meals but only pays for one, Dining Services' records won't reflect the eating habits of students.
Cohen was annoyed when she tried to eat breakfast before her 11:30 exam and was asked to either wait 12 minutes for the official lunch to begin or have her card swiped twice.
"It doesn't make sense - one swipe equals one meal," she said. "If a student eats brunch instead of a traditional breakfast or lunch, they shouldn't be penalized for it. It contradicts the point of continuous service."
Students have long said that there is not enough flexibility in meal plans, as all freshmen must to subscribe to the Premium Plan, which grants "unlimited access" to Dewick-McPhie and Carmichael Dining Halls.
Unlimited access, however, does not include Hodgdon, which can only be visited once during each meal period. Some, like Cohen, feel that policies such as this and the $5 fee if one forgets their ID are unreasonable.
"The policies are unnecessary overcharges to a system that is already tailored to the needs of Dining Services and that, by definition, is not always in the best interests of the student," Cohen said.
Dining Services, however, relies on freshmen buying the premium meal plans to help finance the dining halls.
"To be able to offer the variety of operations we have, we do need some kind of base. It helps all our operations to have this base," said Lee Klos.
The cost of the dining halls is absorbed mainly by underclassmen, as many juniors and seniors, especially those who off-campus don't want to make the hike from Boston Ave. to Carmichael, opt not to buy a meal plan. Senior Amee Shah, for example, has had her fill of dining halls.
"I'm sick of dining halls. I only go when someone takes me," Shah said. "I would say most seniors do points."
According to Lee Klos, a fair number of upperclassmen partake in a meal plan, but "are using their points and dining dollars to a greater degree."
Dining Services has hired a consulting firm for the coming months to research what students are purchasing and how they feel about dining services.
"We are always looking to better service the community," Lee Klos said.
