Campus dining centers may see a vast overhaul next year as a result of freshman housing and a new dining system.
Administrators on the Dining Committee are looking into possibilities such as a buffet option for the Douglass Food Court.
?There?s a very high probability that the all-you-can-eat option will move to Douglass and a combination of all-you-can-eat and la carte will be in Danforth,? said OneCard Manager Troy Beason at Monday?s Students? Association Senate meeting.
River Campus Dean of Students Mary-Beth Cooper is to meet with the Student Dining Committee in the next weeks to discuss ways that dining halls can be best used by students next year.
The major reason for this change would be to support freshman housing. Freshmen will live on the Residential Quad, near Douglass. An all-you-can-eat dining center is ideal for freshmen, who must purchase a combo dining plan.
?Block is designed for all-you-can-eat dining and Danforth is farthest away from block users,? said sophomore Lonny Mallach, chair of the Student Dining Committee.
However, Mallach said Douglass should have a grab-and-go feature since it is centrally located. He said some universities do have la carte options at all-you-can-eat prices.
Other ideas for next year include renovating the Pit and expanding or moving the Corner Store.
?There is a notion of expanding the corner store now that declining is a permanent,? Cooper said.
Dining committee members must consider many factors in looking into these changes, especially convenience.
Cooper will meet with the SA Senate for input during next Monday?s senate meeting.
Possible changes in the Pit include adding pizza or removing the grab-and-go food so that the space could be used for cooking.
Mallach said he would like to see money and effort go toward improving the Common Ground Caf.
One idea is to build a cybercaf with comfortable couches and a coffee shop atmosphere.
?We should revitalize the student union. This place used to be the center of life and we should make it that way again,? Mallach said.
These plans are still in an investigation stage, Cooper said. Future discussion will determine how necessary and feasible they are.
?Students will have a chance to give input,? Cooper said.
