Swipe system should be wiped out
As a wide-eyed freshman last year, I confess that the dining halls comforted me with the amazing all-you-can-eat deal. (Oh, what a relief it is to attend a school blessed with incredible dining hall food.)
But any novelty’s charm eventually wears off and reveals flaws; in time I realized that although the swipe system offers benefits, its efficiency is hampered by its inflexibility. Fixed prices and a fixed number of meals poorly accommodate different eating habits and prevent food from being exchanged at constant values. Conversion to the meal-point system would alleviate these flaws.
According to Connie Foster, Associate Director of Dining Services, the monetary value of each meal swipe cannot be determined, since room and meal fees are values indistinct from each other, part of the “very complex” housing budget.
Regardless of the vague terms, the problem is that the established value of one meal swipe prevents items from being exchanged on a rational scale.
For instance, with one meal swipe you can enjoy one smoothie from Bruin Café; this same swipe is also good for an entire meal at the dining hall, which may consist of a hot plate, salad, a cup of soda and dessert – and seconds if you so desire.
Clearly, the worth of a smoothie and a meal are hardly the same. Under the swipe system, the value of a smoothie is absurdly equivalent to the value of a whole meal.
Swipe values show further inconsistency when converted to on-campus meals. For lunch, a meal swipe is worth $1.85; for dinner, the value is a little more generous at $1.90.
The swipe system may seem like a bargain for people who eat large quantities two or three times a day. For those with other eating styles, however, such as those who prefer to eat numerous small meals, the swipe system is impractical and unaccommodating.
Since eating habits, like personality, are unique to each person, it makes sense to offer a meal system flexible enough to charge varied quantities of food.
The swipe system also apportions a set number of meals per week. However, due to busy schedules, students often find it difficult to adhere to a routine eating schedule. Inevitably, non-Premier-plan holders may miss irrecoverable meal swipes, and Premier holders can accrue an immense amount (sometimes over 40) of meal swipes at the end of the quarter, which can be exchanged for to-go meals at Bruin Café or Puzzles and/or two bottles of soda per swipe.
The perishable to-go items are not practical purchases in abundance, and the soda bottles – well, I suppose we should be grateful that we do get two bottles instead of one.
Speaking of vast quantities, take a look at the tray conveyor in the dining halls. The amount of leftover food is appalling. I admit that I too have fallen victim to the temptation of grabbing more food than necessary – a natural consequence of buffet-style eating.
In essence, the swipe system is wasteful and inflexible in terms of money, resources and time, and the point system may be the potential solution.
UC San Diego operates on a point-based system, which allots 1,800 points per student per year, with additional meal points available for purchase throughout the year. Each point is roughly equivalent to a dollar. Basically, the system functions like a regular store: You purchase what you pay for.
For example, a student may buy a hot plate of food for five points and add on a soda; if students want to grab food on the way to class instead, they can pick up some veggies and snacks to go – this would be especially convenient for UCLA students who may need to spend all day on campus.
UCSD student Grace Bohn said, “The point system gives you a lot of functionality.” There are no restrictions on point usage in a given meal period, and leftover points can also be used for practical purchases, such as groceries and school supplies.
Bohn noted that under the point system, however, students who eat large quantities can be at a disadvantage and usually end up purchasing more points.
However, it makes sense that those who consume more, spend more. If a person requires more food than another, then that person rightfully must spend more money to purchase more food.
Some students also express concern that under the point system, food choices will be final. In other words, choosing a dish that turns out unappetizing will result in a loss.
It is ultimately the student’s responsibility, however, to choose food at his/her discretion. Furthermore, more careful decisions would reduce the excessive food waste currently present in the dining halls.
Bohn also added that while items can be pricey at times, as is expected for any school-provided meal services, the flexibility is worth the price – students only purchase what they need to satisfy them at that moment. Also, leftover meal points are used on items that are much more useful than cases upon cases of soda bottles and Bruin Café sandwiches, which can often go to waste.
Prices at UCSD may be high, which is especially visible by the specific monetary value assigned to each item. However, UCSD students have the privilege of knowing this concrete exchange of their money for food. As for UCLA, students are left in the dark as to exactly how much money they are spending per swipe.
Who knows, maybe UCLA students may even be spending more on meal plans than UCSD students. I suppose it’s hard to know, given the information provided.
San Diego State University also offers students combinations of points and/or swipes, depending on the student’s preference. SDSU student Sarah Knopp said the system is “very convenient because students ... have flexibility in when and how much they eat.”
With the rite of passage to college comes freedom and flexibility. Isn’t it time we exercise freedom and flexibility in our eating habits, too? I know UCLA surpasses any other school – but admittedly, in terms of meal plans, we have a little more work to do.
What’s your favorite smoothie flavor? Let Yoo know at jyoo@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.
advertise
contact us
top of page
Comments
Post a comment