First-time Summer Semester students who purchased meal plans noticed a drastic increase in the meal equivalencies.
Liz Poore, assistant director of dining operations, said summer dining amounts are greater because students pay more money for summer dining contracts. The money allotted for Summer 2007 is the same as for Summer 2006; $5.50 for breakfast, $7.90 for lunch and $9.00 for dinner.
While the summer brings minor, temporary changes, Poore said Dining Services will undergo several substantial changes for Fall Semester.
Dining Plus money will be added to the 21 meals-per-week dining plan. Poore said this additional money will be useful when students surpass their meal equivalency by a small amount.
Another new feature to meal plan options will be block plans, Poore said. Block plans will be available only to off-campus students and it will allow them to purchase a specific number of meals per semester. If a student reaches the maximum number of meals, more can be purchased.
Personal Dining Plus, another new feature, allows students to add their own dining money to a meal plan. Personal Dining Plus cannot be purchased if a student does not have a meal plan, Poore said.
After reaching $100 in personal dining money, the rate is discounted. A $100 block of Dining Plus costs the student $92, giving them an 8 percent discount.
Dining Services has already received positive feedback from upperclassmen excited for the change, Poore said.
Junior Whitney Meyer, Resident Assistant and orientation leader, said she was pleased with the changes.
"They just told us about them today," she said. "I think it's absolutely amazing. All of the plans are any meal anytime, which makes it very convenient."
Meyer also said she looked forward to the opening of Woodworth Complex because it will lessen foot traffic in Noyer Complex.
"I live in LaFollette, so I will still probably just go to Noyer," she said. "Woodworth will be packed, you've got all the stuff they tried to move to Noyer moved out of Noyer, so it will have shorter lines and be more concentrated."