On the menu for next year is a little less dough in University students' pockets after the Board of Visitors recently approved an average meal plan rate increase of 4½ percent.
The rate increases, which differ for each type of meal plan, amount to a $40 to $150 increase.
According to the Board's summary, about 8,400 University students purchased a meal plan for the 2006-07 school year.
The University currently contracts with Aramark to provide dining hall services. Brent Beringer, director of University Dining Services and an employee of Aramark, said he expects a similar number of students will be affected by the 2007-08 changes.
Beringer also noted that the number of students with meal plan contracts has increased in recent years by about 500 students each year.
Richard Kovatch, University associate vice president for business operations, said the rate increase stems from the fact that "the operating costs associated with dining services around Grounds have gone up."
Kovatch said this change includes increased labor costs, increased food costs and increased sustainability measures -- such as purchasing goods locally, furthering recycling initiatives, developing strategies to increase the fuel efficiency of food transport and composting food waste.
According to the Board summary, "personal services are expected to increase 5 percent, or $491,000, and food costs are expected to increase 3.5 percent, or $285,300."
Because the University contracts with Aramark, University Dining Services is dependent on the funds generated by meal plan contracts and dining retail outlet purchases, Beringer said. Increased operating costs cause increased meal plan rates, he said, because there is no auxiliary support for dining.
Beringer said University Dining Services develops a budget for approval by University administrators and the Board of Visitors just as any other University department would, even though Aramark manages all dining facilities.
According to Kovatch, the University "oversees" the dining program in its approval of the dining budget.
When students pay for their meal plans, Kovatch said, the money first goes to the University. As students use meals, or spend money at dining retail outlets, the money is then transferred to Aramark. Remaining funds, Kovatch added, support debt service, capital projects and other University expenditures.
Beringer said after operating costs are deducted, Aramark's funds are used to improve the quality of dining service locations.
"We will also be trying to make additional improvements," Beringer said. "We will be adding a café in Clark Library, and try to be making several modifications in Runk Dining Hall."
Such improvements, according to Beringer, are guided by student input.
Price increases, however, might be necessary to deliver the best dining service, according to Beringer.
"Our goal is to get as many students on a meal plan as possible," Beringer said. "To do something that might do otherwise doesn't make sense."
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