New meal policy plan irks RCAs

Updated student meal plans for next year are drawing criticism from some residential college advisers, who fear the new rules will limit contact with their advisees.

RCAs currently can eat at any residential college dining hall or at Frist Campus Center during late meal hours, but starting next fall, RCAs will only be able to eat in the dining halls of their affiliate college and its paired 2-year or 4-year college. They will not be allowed to use late meal.

"I'm not too sure why they are doing this," Butler RCA Eva Leung '08 said. "In order to interact with our 'zees better and give them more freedom, it would be good if we were given freedom too. ... I mean, I know my 'zees have friends in other colleges as well."

In order to facilitate increased interaction between upperclassmen and students living in residential colleges, all upperclassmen — regardless of club or college affiliation — will be given two free meals per week in any college dining hall. RCAs, however, must remain in their affiliate colleges.

"One of the themes that came back from the [Dining and Social Options Task Force] committee was a desire to provide more flexibility to students in their dining options ... so changes will include new block plans, extended hours and improving the quality of the dining experience," Executive Vice President Mark Burstein said.

Some RCAs are concerned that, with the opening of Whitman College and the hiring of chefs who will craft unique menus for each residential college, their advisees will be reluctant to eat in the old dining halls. As a result, the restrictions on RCA meal plans could prevent them from eating with their advisees.

"I think that's going to be a great opportunity for our 'zees to explore other colleges ... and it would be great if RCAs could share that with them," Leung said.

Given the popularity of late meals, RCAs also worry they will miss out on opportunities to see their advisees if they do not have access to meals at Frist.

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

Some RCAs have begun drafting a petition to Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students Hilary Herbold protesting the dining hall and late meal restrictions.

Herbold, who oversees the residential college adviser program, said that eating in their own dining halls is a duty of RCAs. She noted that RCAs will receive more dining hall meals under the new plans, thereby increasing their opportunities to eat with advisees.

"The reason why advisers receive a meal plan as part of their compensation is so that they can eat in the college with their 'zees," Herbold said.

Residential college dining halls also will be offering late-night snacks during the week next year, arguably diminishing the need for late meal access.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"The new RCA meal plan will offer the advisers even more flexibility as to when to eat with their 'zees," Herbold added.

She invited any unhappy RCAs to contact her, especially if they perceive that the new meal plans will impede their advising duties in some way.

"I strongly encourage them to get in touch with me and with their college masters so that we can brainstorm about their questions ... if there are specific opportunities they seek to eat with their 'zees at other times or in other ways, they can be sure the we will do our best to support them," Herbold said.