Students gather: in the Foy dining area at will to enjoy lunch in between classes. Next fall, incoming freshmen living on and off campus will be required to purchase meal plans. JD Schein / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Auburn University will be instituting a new dining plan starting fall semester. The new plan will require all first-year incoming undergraduates to participate in an on-campus descending balance or debit dining program.
All currently enrolled students will be exempt from purchasing a dining plan, but they may purchase one if they wish.
“Once a student’s incoming class participates in the program, the student is required to participate for every subsequent semester the student is enrolled at Auburn University,” according to the Tiger Cub Web site.
The new program will be phased in gradually over the next four academic years starting with the 2008-2009 academic year and will be limited to the incoming freshmen.
“I’m excited about it because I feel that, as a dean, Auburn students do deserve good, high quality food, and I feel good as a dean as having been a part of helping that to happen,” said Johnny Green, dean of students.
Several students have been involved in the process of creating the new plan. They have been working closely with Tiger Dining as student consultants.
“The main reason for doing this is to peak interest in eating on campus and to also help pay off the new dining facilities,” said Jeffrey Mustin, a junior in public administration.
Elizabeth Preslar, Tiger Dining’s marketing manager, has been working with students and parents, coordinating the new venues to satisfy both sides.
“It’s going to be great for the students,” Preslar said. “We went through and did surveys and pooled from what they wanted.”
She is confident the students will like the new venues because it has been catered to the students’ wants.
The new dining plan will redesign the existing menus and places on campus and add seven more in the new student union.
Chick-Fil-A, Coyote Jack’s Grill, Outtakes Quick Cuisine, AU Bon Pain, Mamma Leone’s, a full-service Starbucks and Jow Jing will be the new venues.
Students will be able to use the money from their dining plan at any of the new places and also at existing vendors.
“We want you guys to have the best, that’s why we went after this,” Green said. “I think it’s going to make life a little more convenient for students because: No. 1, it will be on the center of campus, No. 2, there will be a better variety of foods available, No. 3, nutritionally speaking, it’s better for students to have access to a better diet … and that comes mostly from parents.”
Many students are opposed to the new dining plan. They feel they should have a right to choose.
“Assuming a student is on campus only 56 of the 70-plus class days and exam days in a given semester, the student would have available an average of $5.36 per day for a meal or snacks while on campus,” according to the Tiger Cub Web site.
Locked In
Many students do not like being forced into buying expensive fast food.
“I would rather buy my own groceries and cook my own food,” said Jake DeBin, a senior in economics. “It’s cheaper, healthier and I can make anything I want.”
Most students agree $5.36 would barely buy a fast food combo meal and would rather eat better for less by making it themselves.
“To be honest, I disagree that they are requiring freshmen to buy meal plans. It’s already expensive enough to come to Auburn without scholarships,” said Faith Palmer, a junior in public relations.
Palmer also noted fast food restaurants may be more convenient, but they are not necessarily healthy or nutritious.
“It’s a good thing I enrolled in 2003,” DeBin said.
