In the fall of 2017 Sodexo will implement new meal plans for students. Sodexo is also making changes in the Marketplace and dining hours. The Marketplace will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. next year, and the space will be renovated to be more accommodating to students and ease congestion.

These changes all began during the fall 2016 survey process. There was over 1,400 students that took Sodexo’s survey. Then, getting together with the school, they sent out another survey. This Community Integration Questionnaire consisted of questions asking students their spending and consumer habits.
From the CIQ survey, Sodexo was able to create the new 2017-18 meal plans. According to Gordon Hayes, general manager of Sodexo at the University, there are Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze plans being offered. The Platinum and Gold plans offer the most value, and are going to be the packages focused towards freshmen.

The highest priced plan is the Platinum, which is the most detailed and has the most to offer. The Bronze plan is the lowest priced plan, and offers a meal plan that is more catered towards upperclassmen that have kitchens and do not need to eat as much in the dining halls. Some upperclassmen students like eating in the dining halls, though, and so the new meal plans will provide options for everyone.

According to Hayes, he has “gotten positive feedback about the change.”

The availability to more dining options is appealing to students who have struggled finding accommodations to their dietary needs.

“I personally am not satisfied with Sodexo because I have dietary restrictions that make it very difficult to eat what they provide on a daily basis,” said junior Sarah DeMatteis. “I realize that they are more aware of the issue now and are working to better cater to those needs. I hope to really see healthier options come out of the new changes in Sodexo.”

Students constantly run into the end of the semester nightmare of running out of dining dollars, but the new plans aim to fit such needs.

“I am overall satisfied with the food; I feel like Sodexo is better than what is offered on other college campuses. They are taking into account students that are vegan, but I wish that they were giving more dining dollars and lunch swipes,” Amanda Arango, a freshman.

Sodexo is also offering two extra meal packages called Moonlight and Crammer. The Moonlight is for students looking for a meal after hours, giving extra dining dollars to your plan so you have the option to eat at WOW until 2 a.m. The Crammer plan adds even more dining dollars to your plan, so that if one weekly late night meal is not enough you can have more.

Sodexo is going to add more variety for food and meals. There will be an all-day breakfast station, for students that want to eat breakfast late or eat breakfast for dinner. There will also be a “Simply Serving” station to provide more gluten free and allergy free meals at lunch and dinner. The burrito station and the grill station will be open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Also, the pasta station will now be a destination station, with salad, pasta, and pizza all in one place.

“I do not know why people complain about it so much, you get a hot meal, salad, can make your own sandwich, and more. I am satisfied with the varieties of options that are offered on campus,” said sophomore Charlie Ricard.

The Marketplace renovations include having the two cashier stations be at the bottom of the stairs, and you will swipe to get into the area, not when you leave it. Students that are not swiping to eat won’t be able to sit in the Marketplace, because there will be food stations out in the dining area to ease traffic and add more aesthetically appealing experience.

“We want to be a part of the campus community, and have a food service that is interactive and reactive,” Hayes said. “Getting feedback from students, hosting events, collaborating with the schools of hospitality and dietetics, and to work with students to exceed expectations.”