By Joseph Barrios
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Student Union Dining Services is hoping to coax students "aboard" with some new meal plans proposed for next year.
Three new meal plans will be added to the already-existing All Aboard Meal plan, said Carl Splitt, manager of University of Arizona Dining Services.
Splitt said a committee spent about four months collecting data and found most parents of students favor "all-you-can-eat" plans because they want their children to eat well.
So, all three of the new meal plans follow that format. One plan offers 19 meals per week for $999, at an average of $2.96 per meal. The second plan offers 15 meals per week, all at about $3.24 per meal. The Saguaro Block plan offers 180 meals for $900 a semester at an average price of $4.44 per meal.
Splitt said the new meal plans are a positive step towards re-establishing the stability of the Student Union after Union director Robert Ernstein announced his resignation last week.
"We have to move on," Splitt said. "We can't say stagnant."
A Union task force report recognizes that the Union does not have food services in the residence halls and does not offer a meal plan geared towards students who live in residence halls.
Splitt said he has been discussing the idea for over a year and began putting the plans together at the beginning of this semester.
"The residence halls are some of their biggest customers," said Greg Zabelle, assistant director of Residence Life. "We know, just for budgeting purposes, parents like to have a certain amount (to pay) each semester."
A final proposal about implementing these meal plans will be completed this week and submitted for proposal to the Dean of Student's Office, Splitt said.
Still, some students said they were not sure if they would use the new plans.
"I kind of like getting what I want when I want," said Kevin Abney, a mechanical engineering junior.
"I think it's a good idea, I just don't think I'll use it," said Jennifer Slack, communications sophomore. "I live off campus." Read Next Article