Significance of Employing Meal Plans to Colleges and Universities - Research Paper Example

Introduction Getting time to have a meal, meeting the expenses of having a meal and having the right meal are challenges facing most students in colleges and universities. The cost of making meals personally in rooms has been a costly affair to most students, thus many colleges and universities have developed programs that accommodate this extra expense thereby allowing their students to get meals at cheaper costs and in the right time. This meal plan program works on the idea of creating incentives to student meals hence the low cost. This favor given to students living within campus premises is outstanding and its impacts have been seen from improved student performance. Planning a meal is the most flexible way that students and college administrators can do so as to save time and money. For in campus and off campus students meal plans offered by the administration is the best option as compared to all other meal plan options that students have. Thus, the audience that this research target to get will be in campus and off campus college and university students. The study will address the ignorance and uniformed students of what meal planning means as well as the impacts that proper meal planning has to the students. This report will create and develop a clear understanding on significance of employing meal plans to colleges and universities. Emphasis will be placed on the impacts either positive or negative to the life of students in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The audience that the report will consider is students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, facts and findings will support all the explanations and ideas that are going to be used. The sample that will be used will be among freshmen and senior students in the university. The purpose of this report is bring understanding of how campus students will regard meal planning as well as the significance of meal planning. Methodology The primary source of information for the following study is considered as the solid basement regarding the purpose of study. It will cover meal plan program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In order to reach to the above source of data for the research significant review was undertaken and survey was considered as the best form of collecting data from participants. The reasons for considering this method of data collection is that it does not call for extra time for the students to go out collecting the data rather they were able to formulate questions that were printed on a form (Questionnaire). The source was a reliable way to collect information from the students. 2.1 Primary source of information As mentioned earlier a survey was conducted as the primary source of information. The main audience was students living within the premise of the college as well as those living outside the university. The greatest intension of the study was to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of meal plan to the students. Several questions were addressed in the survey but the most significant ones where; if they had a meal plan, the satisfaction rate of the students towards they food they get from the university dining hall and the mode of buying food as well as the consistency in buying food from the university. The survey was conducted over www.surveymonkey.com. The choice made to rely on this website for the survey is that it has wide experienced and talented staff with experience in college issues. The other reason for using this site it is highly visited by students hence the participants’ levels would be high. The survey was composed of 14 stand alone based questions that were easy to understand. The university was able to benefit from the above data as it played a role as a feedback of the meal plan service they offer. As a researcher it is always important to get direct information from the participant. A one on one interview with the student leader enriched the research as it offered direct feedback or information from other students who could not find time to undertake the interview or fill the questionnaire. The student leader played a significant ward as a representative of the students. This interview gave an idea if the students actual have meal plans and the rate of satisfaction. 2.2 Secondary source of information The use of the university online library was a vital path in finding articles that were used for the research. I was able to gather three article and journals that provided information concerning use of meal and the satisfaction rate among college students in United States. These articles and journals offered supporting information considered as literature review. The following are the secondary sources used: An article written by Plan in 2010 explains both positive and negative impacts of meal plan to the students. The article is a credible source as it shows students would benefit as well as get negative effects with the use of college meal plans. In most cases in addressed how students living off campus had negative impacts. The second source used was a Journal written by Kicklighter, Koonce, Rosenbloom, & Commander, the Journal is vital as it helped me gather information concerning how students respond to meal plans and the prices of meals. In order to meet the intention and purpose of the study the prices got from this source was compared to those at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University According to Freedman & Connors (2011), college students have the habit of ignoring as well as going against meal plans because students normally have their personal time out of campus and have the meals away from their dining halls. The article also states that meal planning is the only source of effective and efficient cost plans to students in colleges. Limitations of Study The first challenge that I faced during my study is data collection and analysis. Most students were not able to give correct information about meal plans, thinking that they will be seen as naïve. This jeopardized with the research reliability. Ethical rights were the other people that I faced during my study. I did not comprehend the ethical rights of participants such as allowing them to engage in research on not hence was made to repeat the research several times. Facts Table 1: Prices of Meals When you eat on or near campus, how much do you typically spend? According to this research 30 participants where used for the research; consider that the participants were students. A small percentage of students spend less that $5 dollars on meals with campus. This number represented both in and off campus students. This percentage was from only 2 participants this represents 6.7%. 14 participants reported that they use between $5 to $10 on their meals representing 46.7%. 8 participants stated that they spend between $10-$15 while taking meals at college’s dining hall this represented only 26.6% of the participants. 20% of the participants presenting only 6 students who took place in the survey stated that they spend more than $15 while in at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University dinning. Table 2: Satisfaction Rate Table 2 shows the rate of satisfaction of the students towards the meal plan that the administration has implemented. 31 participants were involved in the survey. According to the survey only 1 participant stated that he was strongly satisfied with the meal plan; this represented only 3.23% of the participants. 10 participants were satisfied with the meal plan representing 32.26% of the students who take the survey. 15 participants were dissatisfied with the meal plan at the University dinning (48.39%). While, 5 participants were strongly dissatisfied with the meal plan representing 16.13%. Table 3: Opinion Response Table 3 shows four categories of actions concerning meal plan 31 participants were: i. There are enough health food choices available for campus students 9 participants a sample stating 29.03% strongly disagree. 14 student participants disagreed having health choices (45.16%), 22.58% agreed that they had healthy choices representing 7 participants and 1 participant showing 3.23% strongly agreed. ii. I am satisfied with the wait time to get food on campus 29.03% agreed with the wait time representing 9 participants and 1 participant showing 3.23% strongly agreed. 6 participants a sample stating 19.35% strongly disagree. 15 student participants disagreed with the wait time (48.39%). iii. I am satisfied with the service I received at campus dining 1 participant showing 3.23% strongly agreed. 6 participants a sample stating 19.35% strongly disagree. 13 student participants disagreed with the service they receive (41.34%), 35.48% agreed with the service representing 11 participants. iv. I would like to see a campus nutrition policy which increases the availability of health food and beverage on campus 25.31% agreed with the wait time representing 8 participants and 5 participant showing 14.13% strongly agreed. 7 participants a sample stating 22.58% strongly disagree. 11 student participants disagreed with the wait time (35.48%). Read More