Arizona State University (ASU) Should not Require Freshmen to Purchase a Meal Plan from College - Case Study Example

April 9, Arizona (ASU) Should not Require Freshmen to Purchase a Meal Plan from College When a freshman first joins Arizona State University, there are many forms to be filled by the incoming student. One of these forms is the meal plan form that informs the student of the meal plans available in the catering unit. A meal plan is a form or arrangement that provides the student with a quantity of meals guaranteed for every semester at an agreed or fixed plan. It is often taken by fresh students due to its advantages though it also has numerous disadvantages. At Arizona State University, all first year students are required to purchase meal plans depending on the campus they are in; for example freshmen living on the Downtown Phoenix, Tempe, West and Polytechnic campuses must buy meal plans at every given semester. At the Barrett Honors College, freshmen also buy meal plans for the whole semester. For senior students living in university accommodation, the meal plan is highly recommended for its benefits. The meal plans have got several disadvantages and should therefore not be a requirement for students joining the campus. Due to the various disadvantages, students have devised ways of avoiding taking them. Meal Plans are Expensive Meal plans are expensive to the student in the sense that they cost several dollars to be enrolled in them. This is made more expensive in the sense that one is required to pay upfront for the meal plan to be activated or in more relaxed meal plan program; one is required to pay in two installments. This is enough reason why a person should not enroll for these programs. (Maltin 35). As an alternative, a freshman can easily come up with a good budget that he can easily meet the cost of food. This will save the freshman a lot of money in that he will be able to purchase food that he wants and prepare them how he wants them instead of spending much on the often bad food offered at the university cafeterias. The University Food is Boring According to Low (39) cafeteria food is boring. This is a fact in the sense that students soon get bored of the food served as the options are always the same. As much as there is a variety of food to be served by the cafeteria, it is important for the freshman to know that this is likely to be the case for the whole semester repeated regularly, thus being monotonous. As much as the food might be delicious or good for the first few years of admission, ne easily gets bored as time goes on. With time, the freshman will want something or a different variety of food. They Are No Refunds for Unused Meals under Meal Plan The Arizona State University meal plan does not give refunds for any unused meals or meals not taken by the student. Most of the time students tend to believe that with too many guaranteed meals, they can take them later or even have them carried forward to the next semester. This is not often the case as failure to utilize the meal card or plan does not guarantee a student refund of his money (Brefere, Karen and Brad 122). This restriction is unfair and unrealistic for students as it takes away the right to be offered food. It is also unrealistic especially for those students who may be out of campus for reasons or circumstances beyond their control, for example, during illness, campus tours and even when one reports to the cafeteria late; therefore, the losses caused by this run into hundreds or thousands of dollars. Strict Cafeteria Opening Hours The campus cafeterias operate in fixed opening hours that require the students to always be available at the time of meals. This is at times inconvenient for students whose schedules especially the lectures do not end in time for the meal times. Meal plans are therefore not convenient in the sense that when one is absent or not present when the meal is offered or served at the cafeteria, then you will lose your right for the meal and cannot redeem it a subsequent meal time or seek for a refund. This puts student in a quagmire by forcing them to be present when the meal is served. The plan is therefore not convenient for those who will be far away from the cafeteria when the meals are served, those students who work or study in places that they cannot have fixed and determined schedules or those that are poor at time management. The Student May Not Like the Food at the Cafeteria It is always advisable that any freshman wishing to join Arizona State University make a pre-visit to the cafeteria in order to know what kinds of food are offered at the cafeterias. By doing this, the student has an opportunity to taste the food and evaluate whether it meets his or her tastes and preferences. Making a visit before buying the meal plan also enables students with special dietary needs make a decision whether to be incorporated in the meal plan. It will also save the student lots of money in that a student might opt out of the plan before committing substantial amounts of dollars. Students must therefore take precaution before buying a meal plan at the university catering units. Therefore, the university is required to provide alternatives or solutions to the students who opt out of acquiring meal plans, such solutions may include and not limited to the following. Provision of Kitchens in the Dormitories or Hostels The University should endeavor to provide community kitchens fitted with all the appliances so that students have proper and equipped places for cooking. This will enable students who find the cafeteria food not to be good to make their own food. This is especially convenient for students with special dietary needs or those that need their food prepared according to special needs or norms either through religious beliefs or social inclinations. Such group of students may include Muslims and Hindus. Improving the Quality and Variety of Food at the Cafeterias Universities should always strive to improve the quality of food at the cafeterias in order to attract students to enroll into the meal plan program. The cafeterias must have options for all students putting consideration in their tastes and preferences. The buffets should also be provided near the dormitories or houses of residences in the campus. Offering a variety of food may include the provision of unprocessed food in the diet. The unprocessed food such as fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, anti soluble fiber and anti oxidants provide important nutrients that play important role in metabolism and nutritional well-being of individuals. This variety offered by the cafeterias will make the meal plans more attractive to the students making them enroll in them; the unprocessed food includes leafy vegetables, tubers and fruits. Cooking food with monounsaturated fat such as olive oil is one way of improving the variety and nutritional content of food in the cafeteria thus making them attractive. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil are important in the sense that they reduce heart ailments and other diseases such as obesity. This makes the food at the cafeteria to be more attractive to the students who may be having such kinds of diseases or ailments; thus, they will enroll in the meal card program. Inclusion of sea food in the diet a couple of times in a week makes the meal card program very attractive. Intake of sea food such as salmons and oysters rich in Omega 3 vitamins is important as they also provide minerals and protein. These have got the effect of transforming the health, comfort and productivity of the student. This break from the usual kind of food offered by cafeterias has got the effect of increasing the number of students undertaking the meal card programme. Offering of Refunds for Unclaimed Food The catering units must put in place measures whereby students can reclaim their refunds for meals not taken or reclaimed. Alternatively, the catering units can put in place systems whereby students can claim the meals not taken or have them carried forward to the next semester. This will make the meal cards more attractive to freshmen joining the university as they will know that they are likely to save on costs for meals not claimed or refunds. Works Cited Brefere, Lisa M, Karen E. Drummond, and Brad Barnes. So You Want to Be a Chef?: Your Guide to Culinary Careers. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Print. Low, Jessica. Bentley College off the Record. Pittsburgh, PA: College Prowler, 2005. Print. Maltin, Vanessa L. Beyond Rice Cakes: A Young Persons Guide to Cooking, Eating & Living Gluten-Free. New York: iUniverse, Inc, 2006. Print. Read More