New modifications to the College's SmartChoice dining options have been created to meet student demand for greater flexibility, Dartmouth Dining Services Director David Newlove said in an interview with The Dartmouth. The modifications, which have not been finalized, were sent to all students in a campus-wide email Wednesday afternoon, Newlove said.
Changes to the College's current a la carte dining plan were first announced in early March, when DDS presented SmartChoice, a "hybrid" system that will be implemented in Fall term and will enable students to either swipe their Dartmouth ID cards at '53 Commons for an all-you-can-eat style meal or use money from a set amount in their declining balance account at any other dining facility on campus.
The "meal exchange" plan in SmartChoice would allow students to receive a dollar equivalent of a meal to spend at Courtyard, Collis or Novack Cafe, Newlove said. Students would be able to spend this dollar equivalent in a similar fashion to how students currently spend money in their Declining Balance Account, Newlove said.
The exact dollar amount that students will receive for the equivalent of one meal has not yet been determined, according to Newlove. The proposed modifications to SmartChoice will be fully compatible with financial aid, he said.
The SmartChoice dining plan of 10 meals per week will decrease to five meals per week with an increased DBA allowance of $875. This proposed plan would cost a total of $1,440 per term. This change was made to maximize "options for students who prefer more declining balance dollars," according to Newlove.
For students who reside off-campus, DDS will offer a "DBA only" plan for $875, Newlove said. Off-campus students will still be able to eat at '53 Commons by paying a set door price, he said.
"That's a pretty radical change," Newlove said of the proposed off-campus option.
The SmartChoice options of 20 and 14 meals per week will not change from the original plan announced in March, according to Newlove.
DDS will begin offering "pre-valued" dollar amounts at Topside, Newlove said. This system might allow students to buy $110 dollars worth of items at Topside for only $100, he said.
While Topside will remain in the basement of Collis this Fall, the store will "probably" be moved to the basement of' 53 Commons by January 2012, Newlove said.
An allotment for Topside will not be included in any SmartChoice dining plans, he said. Students will continue to purchase items at Topside with cash, credit card or DASH.
In order to prevent DDS from competing against itself, the prices at Topside will be more competitive with what "sellers offer downtown," Newlove said.
Students will be encouraged to provide written or in-person feedback regarding the modifications to Newlove and Associate Dean of Campus Life April Thompson by June 15, Thompson said.
A final decision regarding the changes to SmartChoice will be released "as soon as possible" to allow students "to have time to go over this information with their families," Thompson said.
Modifications to SmartChoice were made in response to continued student feedback since SmartChoice was first announced in March, Newlove said. DDS created a BlitzMail account called "DDSFeedback" to encourage students to voice their opinions about SmartChoice, Newlove said.
Newlove hosted three information sessions and forums in April to promote student discussion regarding SmartChoice, he said. Newlove also attended a Student Assembly meeting and met with student groups such as undergraduate advisors, he said.
The original SmartChoice plans ranged from 20, 14, 10 and 5 meals per week. The least expensive SmartChoice option available only to students residing off-campus would cost students $875 per term for 5 meals per week as well as $200 in DBA, while the largest meal plan for 20 meals per week and $75 in DBA was set at $1,658 per term, The Dartmouth previously reported.
The costs per year of these SmartChoice plans would be between $4,320 and $4,974, reflecting a significant increase from the current DDS a la carte meal plans, which range from $2,400 to $5,925 per year.
Student reaction concerning the SmartChoice dining plan was largely negative. A group known as Dartmouth Students for Dining Choice organized a protest of the new plan that 20 students participated in before a Faculty of the Arts and Sciences meeting earlier this month, The Dartmouth previously reported.
Students have also created a Facebook page titled "1000 Students Against the New Dartmouth DDS Meal Plan." At the time of publication, 1,169 Facebook users had "liked" the group's Facebook page.
