University weighs upperclass dining facility proposal

At the same time as sophomores begin deciding which eating club, if any, to join, Laura Chiang '05 proposed that the University create an upperclass dining hall for those students who wish to remain on the school's meal plan.

While upperclass students have always had alternative dining options — including signing up for a University dining plan, signing into a eating coop and going independent — they have lacked a centralized dining hall. This has caused a sense of isolation among those who opt for dining plans, Chiang said.

"I knew initially that you could stay on the [University] eating plan, but it's really not publicized," said Chiang. "Right now you can eat in the dining hall [as an upperclassman] but you want a place where you can relax with friends, and I think a well-publicized central location would help make this option more attractive for students."

Chiang recently met with Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson, Director of Dining Services Stuart Orefice and Maria Flores-Mills, the assistant dean of undergraduate students and liaison to dining services, to discuss the possibility of initiating this dining option.

Chiang has received very positive responses from both students and administrators.

"Students have definitely expressed an interest in having another dining option available," Dickerson said.

If the University implemented Chiang's proposal, one of the current underclass dining halls would likely serve as the central location for upperclass meals while still remaining open to underclassmen, Dickerson said.

She added that, according to Orefice, the dining halls could easily accommodate upperclassmen on the University meal plan because they are not filled to capacity with underclassmen.

Chiang said an upperclass dining hall would provide an important option for students not wanting to join an eating club, primarily because it would offer a more convenient option.

"For independent students it can be difficult to get to the store to buy groceries and kitchens are scarce on campus," she said. "Also, the clubs have a shorter meal time than the dining hall and so this option provides not only a sense of community but also the flexibility of having the option of late meals."

The group also discussed implementing social planning committees to organize intramurals, trips to New York City and other activities that would enhance the sense of community among upperclassmen opting for the dining hall.

An upperclass dining hall would serve as a temporary solution until the opening of Whitman College, which will offer a dining option for its upperclass residents.

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"For those for whom joining an eating club is not an option, [Chiang] is providing an important interim solution [until the four-year residential college system is implemented]," Dickerson said. "We are currently collecting more data on the subject, but we are hopeful that an alternative can be offered to these students."