Students have seen an increase in the price of their meals, as well as well meal plans, due to the university’s new, state-of-the-art cafeteria and Sodexho Campus Services, who need more money to better operate the new facility, with more labor and food choices. Sodexho proposed the price increase to the University. and Brenda Haskins, executive director of auxiliary services, sent the proposal to the University Cabinet for approval. Then, it was sent to the Baton Rouge Board of Supervisors who officially approved it, making the increase effective August 2007.
“This new facility comes with a price tag,” Haskins said. “I hate to say this, but it will partially affect student’s pocketbooks. The university will do everything that it can to defray costs for students.”
This price increase affects each student who chooses to dine in the cafeteria; however, on-campus tenants are most affected. Students who live in dorms or La Maison Du Bayou are required to purchase a meal ticket of some sort.
In order to give the student some type of choice with their meal plan, the university set up three different plans. Students living in dorms are required to purchase either the silver meal plan for $1,028, gold meal plan for $1,109, or platinum meal plan for $1,184. All plans come with different amounts of munch money, which can be used in the bookstore, Student Union, convenient store or any other University dining area. La Maison residents are required to purchase $400 in munch money, compared to the $350 they were required to purchase last semester.
Haskins said that the University is required by the Board of Supervisors to have students purchase meal tickets.
“Another reason we require the purchase of meal plans is the fact that it is not safe for dorm students to cook in their rooms, and we want our students involved on campus,” she said. “We don’t want students to go to class and back to their room; we want them to eat on-campus and socialize.”
Although students living in dorms and La Maison Du Bayou must both purchase meal tickets, those residents have much different opinions.
Britney Bernard, mass communication junior and La Maison Du Bayou resident, said she does not agree with the meal plan increase.
“The meal plans are expensive, especially now,” Bernard said. “The price went up without a student vote or asking our opinion. I believe that students living in La Maison should not need purchase meal plans; we have a fully-functional kitchen and plenty of nearby restaurants.”
On the other hand, Neili Breaux, education senior and South Babington RA, is in favor of the meal plan increase.
“I don’t believe the meals are that expensive for the amount of food that you can get,” Breaux said. “Even if I wasn’t required to purchase a meal plan, I still would. It’s one less thing you have to worry about when you are in school. You don’t have to cook, do dishes or go shopping; just show up and it’s all there for you.
