Spring Break
New meal plan offers increased Flex Funds
Omkar Baxi
Issue date: 8/8/08 Section: News
Starting fall 2008, Drexel University will offer incoming freshmen two options for their meal plan: the standard Gold Meal Plan with unlimited meals at the dining center, and the Blue Meal Plan, which will include 12 meals per week and more dining dollars, according to Drexel Dining's web site.
According to Rita LaRue, the senior associate vice president for Drexel business services, a meal plan is mandatory for on-campus full-time freshmen in order to make it easier for them to transition into college life, without having to deal with the issue of securing food. In the past, freshmen were required to purchase the Gold meal plan, which gave unlimited access to the Handschumacher dining center as well as 200 dining dollars for use around campus.
However, the new Blue Meal Plan was "developed in response to students requesting more dining dollars," LaRue said.
According to Drexel Dining's web site, the Blue meal plan will be the same price as the Gold meal plan, but will offer only 12 meals per week, balanced by 475 dining dollars that students can use around campus.
New students are being notified of their choices by e-mails directing them to the Dining web page as well as information during new student orientations, according to Jackelyn Eliassen, assistant director of Drexel business services.
Freshmen will have two weeks to decide if the meal plan they've chosen is right for them, according to Alicia Ruise, a clerk at the DragonCard office. After that period freshmen are locked into their meal plan for the remainder of the year.
Although the new meal plan restricts access to the dining center, Eliassen said, "There is no evidence that the amount of students eating at the Handschumacher Dining Center will decrease."
The dining hall's quality and availability of food are expected to remain the same.
According to Eliassen, all of Drexel's benchmark schools have mandatory freshman meal plans, and all but two schools (George Washington and Tufts) offer a choice similar to Drexel's new Blue Meal Plan.
According to Rita LaRue, the senior associate vice president for Drexel business services, a meal plan is mandatory for on-campus full-time freshmen in order to make it easier for them to transition into college life, without having to deal with the issue of securing food. In the past, freshmen were required to purchase the Gold meal plan, which gave unlimited access to the Handschumacher dining center as well as 200 dining dollars for use around campus.
However, the new Blue Meal Plan was "developed in response to students requesting more dining dollars," LaRue said.
According to Drexel Dining's web site, the Blue meal plan will be the same price as the Gold meal plan, but will offer only 12 meals per week, balanced by 475 dining dollars that students can use around campus.
New students are being notified of their choices by e-mails directing them to the Dining web page as well as information during new student orientations, according to Jackelyn Eliassen, assistant director of Drexel business services.
Freshmen will have two weeks to decide if the meal plan they've chosen is right for them, according to Alicia Ruise, a clerk at the DragonCard office. After that period freshmen are locked into their meal plan for the remainder of the year.
Although the new meal plan restricts access to the dining center, Eliassen said, "There is no evidence that the amount of students eating at the Handschumacher Dining Center will decrease."
The dining hall's quality and availability of food are expected to remain the same.
According to Eliassen, all of Drexel's benchmark schools have mandatory freshman meal plans, and all but two schools (George Washington and Tufts) offer a choice similar to Drexel's new Blue Meal Plan.
Be the first to comment on this story