By: Julia Shrewsbury and Nicci Carney
As most students now know, Lipscomb dining has undergone several changes for the 2011-2012 school year.
New restaurant options are one aspect of this year’s revamped Lipscomb dining experience. Pizza Hut has been replaced with huge slices of Papa John’s pizza, and Purity ice cream has been turned into a Far East Fusion restaurant that servesAsian cuisine and sushi. When asked why sushi was chosen as the new restaurant Roy Platt, Sodexo general manager, said, “Trends change from year to year, especially with students, so it’s good to change things up from time to time.”
In the summer, a new meal plan system was established. The updated program has six levels, each with a certain amount of dining hall tickets and a certain amount of flex dollars. Here is the new set up:
Bison Stampede……………………. 175 dining hall meals + $600 flex
Bison Herd…………………………… 125 dining hall meals+ $850 flex
Bison Traveler……………………… 100 dining hall points+ $950 flex
Senior Purple……………………….. 50 dining hall points+ $750 flex
Bison Bucks ………………………… Increments of $100
Village Resident All Flex Plan… $1,075
With the new meal plan, students have to adjust to different rules and regulations than previous years. Students can use their meal plans in the dining hall only, and they do not roll over in to the next semester. The dining hall meals have no time restrictions, allowing students to freely eat upstairs at any time. Flex dollars can be used in all restaurants across the campus (downstairs dining room, Starbucks and Common Grounds,) and will roll over into the next semester.
Platt said he wanted the students to have more freedom. “The new meal plan system allows latitude to the students,” he said. “With assigned meals with large amount of flex dollars, this is more effective for them. The only restriction for the flex dollars is that they cannot be used in the Allen Arena only because the registers are not compatible.”
Most students approve of the new system. Students said they most appreciate the freedom of flex dollars and no time restrictions to the dining hall. “I like the new meal plan because you don’t have a certain time of day when you have to eat,” said Nasheed Burgess, a junior engineering major. “It gives you a lot more freedom.”
For some students who eat upstairs more, it gives them time to meet with friends. “When you do eat upstairs it gives you the opportunity to meet more people,” said Inntt Branch, a freshmen.
For on-the-go students, the usage of flex dollars downstairs has made it easier for them instead of using an entire meal plan. “I only use what I spend on one meal and I’m not wasting money,” said senior Cooper McCullough.
Amanda Twigg, a junior history education major from Cumberland, Md. said the changes to the meal plan allows her to save money. “I like the new meal plans because every time I go get something to eat I don’t have to spend six dollars to do it. If I want a coffee or just some chips, I can just use flex dollars to pay the allotted amount. The new meal plan design keeps me more full and satisfied than ever before.”