Traffic at Lucinda&s and Downer will increase with the implementation of the new formal group housing policy. (Quinn Lake)
Meal plan options will change next year for Lawrence students. Due to the new formal group housing option, the Resident Life Task Force has decided to open more dining options to all students.The only change that has been made so far is to expand the options for students on the full board meal plan. Currently, these students get 209 meals per term (19 meals per week) and do not have the option of grill credit. With the new plan, these students will have this option.
The new plan will offer 175 meals per term as the full board plan with $150 in grill credit. This will average out to 15 meals per week. It will also allow freshmen to use grill credit during their first term. These changes have been made to accommodate the larger number of students Food Services expects to see on a meal plan next year.
Because formal group housing will be an option for next year, more dining options will be available to the participating students. Currently, fraternity members cannot be on a meal plan. With the relegation of the fraternity houses to the status of formal group housing, fraternity members will be able to purchase the same meal plan options open to the residents of other formal group houses.
The residents of the group houses will decide on whether or not they wish to use the meal plan option. They have the option of placing some or all of their residents on meal plans. If the house decides that the majority of their members would like to eat lunch at Downer or Lucinda’s, but have dinner in the house, they will be able to purchase meal plans accordingly.
Because more people will be on board plans next year, Food Services is considering opening both Lucinda’s and Downer for longer periods of time. No final decision will be made until the group houses decide which meal plans they want and the number of meals they wish to prepare in their houses. This process may not be completed until the end of the year. After all the houses have communicated with Food Services, they will determine which changes in hours and services need to be made. Some of the possible changes could be opening Lucinda’s for dinner, extending existing meal times, and adding new meals.
Prices will increase somewhat, but not directly due to these changes—the increase is due to the general increase in student fees for next year. The new dining options will offer students more flexibility and are also one way of dealing with the larger crowds expected next year.
Bill Fortune, the head of Food Services, comments: “If [the students] decide they don’t want to fight the crowds at lunch they can go over to the grill and have a sandwich.” Food Services hopes that these changes will help make it easier for all students to access the dining options at Lawrence.