The policies of $60 million University Dining Services have been the cause of criticism of many students, but Executive Director Charles Sams Jr. said some of those concerns are based on misconceptions.
Students do not pay for all the meals that appear as face value of their plan, Sams said.
They pay for the average number of meals used by all students within the plan they hold, and no student pays for all the available meals.
“Students actually pay for what they eat on average. Any student with a 285 [plan] that eats more than 170 meals is being subsidized by the student who ate fewer,” Sams said. “Across the averages within each plan, this is the most cost-effective approach.”
The average student with a 285 plan only eats roughly 170 meals, missing more than 100; that is 40 percent missed or discounted — almost exactly the price charged, he said. Each plan is pre-discounted based upon the average of meals left unused.
An example of this would be the 285-meal plan, which is 19 swipes per week for 15 weeks; this is designed to be 105 dinners, 105 lunches and 75 breakfasts, Sams said. At today’s retail costs, which Dining Services estimated to be $16.25 for dinner, $11 for lunch and $7 for breakfast, this would cost $3,442.50 — but Dining Services only charged $2,075 this fall.
At latest glance, 966 students had the 285 plan; 1,668 had 255; 5,968 had 210; 1,956 had 150; and 1,606 had 105, he said.
These numbers all fluctuate as the year progresses and students leave the University for one reason or another, Sams said. There are only 8,800 mandatory meal plan spaces out of the 36,000 students of New Brunswick, and last week there were 16,350 students with plans.
“That’s almost 8,000 students who picked one of the plans and were not required to,” Sams said. “That’s a positive sign at any school.”
Another point of contention is the quality of the dining hall against the prices paid. The 285 plan costs $2,075 per semester, which is $7.20 per swipe; the 255 plan costs $2,015, which is $7.90 per swipe; the 210 costs $1,925, at $9.16 per swipe; the 150 costs $1,860, at $12.40 per swipe; the 105 costs $1,610, at $15.33 per swipe; the 75 costs $850, at $11 per swipe; and the 50 costs $650, at $13 per swipe, according to the Dining Services Web site.
But students are disgruntled with the amount of meals they have left at the end of each year.
“One thing is that at the end of the year, we have few meal plans left. If we don’t use all of our meal plans, then we don’t get a refund — that’s money down the drain,” School of Arts and Science junior Jonathan Mirhige said. “I had a 285-meal plan my freshman year. I reduced it to 210 the second semester, and I still had 50 left.”
Mason Gross School of the Arts junior Stephanie Tsai said she reduced her meal plan since her first year at the University, when she had 50 meals leftover out of 210 meals.
“I have 105 right now. I chose to get 105, and last year, I had like 15 or so leftover,” Tsai said. “I want to lower it because the dining hall is a disappointment [almost] every time I go. Sometimes it’s good, but most of the time I feel do feel like it’s not worth the money I pay for it.”
Some students would prefer to have more options to use their meal plans, such as in the Douglass Café, Cook Café and the Sbarro in the Livingston Student Center.
“It’s a good deal, but it’s a bit inflexible,” Mirhige said. “There are some places that take meal swipes, which should be expanded … We should be allowed to use our meal swipes on more outside locations.”
First-year students must pick the 210 plan and above, and upperclassmen living in residence halls must pick at least 105.
“Comparing [costs of the dining hall] to the cost of retail groceries or even what a student might select a la carte from a private restaurant is really like comparing apples to oranges,” Sams said. “The cost structure of anything within a collegiate/university environment really doesn’t compare, plus it is an ‘all you care to eat’ structure, not limited.”
Dining Services is responsible for all its own operations and maintenance. The $60 million budget is roughly 80 percent student dining plans, and the other 20 percent is broken down among catering sales, retail sales, some summer meal service and interest and vending commissions.
“The department receives no funding from the University and must maintain itself solely on those monies received from operations,” Sams said. “Basically it can be thought of in three different expense types: 30 percent food, 30 percent labor, 40 percent overhead.”
He said when there is excess of revenues over expenses at the end of the year, it provides sufficient capital for repairs, renovations or to fund new buildings like the new Livingston Dining Commons scheduled to open in 2011.
Dining Services clear up student misconceptions
Published: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
 "Photo: Jovelle Tamayo")
Jovelle Tamayo
While students are frustrated with meals left over each year because of large, required plans, Dining Services said students pay for what they eat on average, a cost-effective approach.
6 comments
It's all about making money from a source Rutgers can control: students; they'll either pay or be "deregistered" (Rutgers' term which isn't an actual word... interesting sign there...). Of course Rutgers will capitalize on that control and charge whatever they can get away with. It's the RU Screw and everybody knows about it. If people honestly have that much of a problem with it then they wouldn't live on campus and force themselves to get a meal plan or pay for bug-infested, leaky, and flood-prone dorms (Silvers, anyone?). So often people want to be angry with Dining Services, with Housing, etc, when in reality they never try any other option such as renting or leasing, or buying their own food because it's less convenient. Convenience is something no one factors into the cost. You pay for convenience. You might not like to, but you pay.In the end, Rutgers is going to screw you. Contractors will screw you. The IRS will screw you. Your boss will screw you. It's up to you to decide how hard and what your return will be. No student is being forced by Rutgers to live on campus or to have a meal plan. Rutgers is simply milking those students who chose to put themselves under Rutgers hospices. If the students don't like it, they can live somewhere else off campus. It's not personal, it's business. :-) P.S. It doesn't mean I'll ever come back to Rutgers, which I won't, but don't be so angry with the corruption of Rutgers. Every organization is corrupt, from the Christian charities to the Big O himself, slogan of "Change" or not. If you truly want to reform Rutgers then stop attending en masse and make it public why you're leaving. As long as you're paying, Rutgers will be cashing your checks and asking for more, just like everybody else. Ok. Back to work.
R-U parent of a six year doctoral candidate. Our family has always enjoyed meals in the Dining Hall (there is no comparison to when I was there!) -- that's not the issue; the quality/variety is fantastic (visit some other schools if you don't agree)! The issue is that if @40% of the meals we paid for will go unused, please consider giving parents/families a break and allow us to use more swipes as pre-paid "Guests" when we are on campus. It's not a "freebie" -- I already paid the tab!
If you figure out the cost of the average number of meals consumed , the dining services are making a huge profit. Thousands of dollars are thrown out each year by parents whose children are using dining services but are unable to consume all the meals they are being charged for. Go to a lower dining plan and you end up paying twice as much for each meal.