VSA demands changes to the new meal plan

The Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council voted 21 to 1 to pass a Council Action criticizing the new meal plan and requesting that numerous changes be made to the all-you-care-to-eat dining system. The Action was drafted by the Committee on Student Life and was sent to all student organizations and to the College administration.

A VSA Council Action issues requests to the College administration, but the VSA does not itself implement any changes. VSA President Jimmy Kelly '09 reminded the Council that "We have no direct control over [whether or not these changes are made], but we'd like to see it happen."

Class of 2009 President Luis Hoyos voted against the Council Action, arguing that the Council had not done enough research to know how the student body feels about the new plan. He also felt that the changes that the Council suggested were too radical to be implemented by Campus Dining.

"Asking the administration to change a meal plan which hasn't even been in place for a full semester is going too far. We need to give [Campus Dining] a broad range of options that could work," said Hoyos.

Despite Hoyos' concerns, the Council Action passed, first with a vote of 20 to 2. Council later moved to return to the discussion, this time passing the resolution by a 21 to 1 vote, with only Hoyos voting against it.

The Council Action outlines several complaints about the new meal plan and states that the all-you-care-to-eat system has not succeeded in accomplishing any of its proffered goals. While the new meal plan was intended to make the All Campus Dining Center (ACDC) a more popular location and give students a better value for their money, the Action argues that by charging for entrance to ACDC and by charging more for a meal at ACDC than at the Retreat, the all-you-care-to-eat system creates more problems than it solves.

The Action states that the cost of an average dinner on the standard meal plan under the à la carte system was about seven points or $12.95, while dinner under the all-you-care-to-eat system is $13. Council members explained that this price difference was not significant enough to warrant a change in meal plan. It is important to note, however, that the cost of dinner under the all-you-care-to-eat system is $10.96 for students on the standard meal plan.

The document also criticizes the meal plan for promoting "overeating...that does not align with students who choose not to eat large, regimented meals or whose schedules prohibit it."

The Council Action concludes with a series of resolutions entreating the administration to change the meal plan. It "urges" the Vice President for Finance and Administration to endeavor to change the prices of meals, introduce different options for students who eat less than their peers, try to reduce the price of a meal for those not on the meal plan and consider ways in which ACDC could become a better social gathering place, such as by returning to an à la carte system.

The Action also resolves that the Food Committee and the Director of Campus Dining will work to make changes to the meal plan this semester. Finally, it is resolved that "the VSA Council strongly supports a new meal plan, taking the concerns of the VSA into account, to be implemented for the Spring 2009 semester."

There was a great deal of discussion and debate about the document at the Council meeting. Some students felt that the Action was asking for too much, and others that it demanded too little.

Terrace Apartments President Riane Harper '09 worried that the resolution was setting unrealistic goals. "I think it might make the document weaker in the eyes of the administration," she said. "Because there's no real capability of them implementing a change in the meal plan [that quickly]."

Vice President for Student Life Nate Silver '10 disagreed. "When [Senior Associate Dean of the College] Raymon Parker came to Council last week, he said very clearly that this fall was going to be a sort of pilot program," said Silver.  "I think that the longer we wait the more feasible it would be."

Kelly also pointed out that if changes are to be made to the meal plan for next year, students should be informed about them before they choose their new meal plans this spring.

After much debate and two votes, the Council Action passed, and Kelly insisted that it be sent out to every student organization. "One of our goals this year is to be more actively engaging the student body on these issues, so I can see this as an opportunity to…get their words heard," said Kelly.