With the opening of the new Upchurch University Center fast approaching, Longwood Dining Services has made several changes to dining options for students in addition to changes to the meal plans offered. Ultimately, Dining Services has removed Lancer Café from the bottom of Lankford Student Union, according to Grant Avent, general manager of Longwood dining services.
“Last spring was the end of the Lancer Café. Einstein’s bagels went away,” said Avent. “The convenience store that was in there, we moved. Greens-to-Go we moved, because that was so popular and moved the sushi.”
The convenience store has been moved to the library, now called The Comma, a Place to Pause, per Avent.
Java City was removed because of Starbucks moving into the Upchurch University Center, according to Avent. Outta Here was removed and Dorrill Dining Hall now allows students to take their meals to go, in new reusable containers.
The hours have changed for Greens-to-Go with the move, per Avent.
“Greens-to-Go has moved to where Outta Here used to be. Greens to Go was so popular we wanted to keep that going and sushi was as well,” Avent said. “For Greens to Go, those hours mimic what we had over here. It’s not as long as we had over at the café because it’s not the same thing, it’s the same concept.”
According to Avent, the hours of the Upchurch University Center will be longer and provide dining options later at night.
Decisions regarding dining services are influenced by a committee of students that meet once a month.
“That’s pretty much an open forum, there is a committee but anyone is welcome to come,” said Avent.
Additionally, the available meal plans have changed this year, per Jean Wilwohl, director of housing. Meal plans are purchased through Residential and Commuter Life (RCL).
“We (RCL) facilitate the process of students registering for a meal plan. When residential students sign up for housing they sign up for a meal plan at the same time,” said Wilwohl.
According to Wilwohl the meal plans have changed from having block or weekly options to exclusively block meal plans.
“The reasoning to that was to get rid of the meal periods so there is more flexibility for students to use the meal plans at different times of the day,” said Wilwohl.
Previously, 19, 14 and 10 meals per week were available in weekly plan. Per Wilwohl, the block plans available correlate to the prior weekly plans, with unlimited meals replacing the 19 weekly and the block 225 plan replace the 14 weekly.
Wilwohl said the change was made to make the meal plans more flexible for the students.
“Because of the meal periods, there could be a time late in the afternoon, let’s say it was three in the afternoon,” Wilwohl said. “If you were previously on a weekly meal plan it was in between a meal period. So you couldn’t use a meal swipe during that time you’d have to use your bonus dollars.”
The block plans, according to Wilwohl, resolve this issue.
“Anytime of day or night, if the dining service is open you could use a meal swipe,” said Wilwohl.
The price of meal plans have increased, per Wilwohl.
“Each year they go up by…average, about three to five percent. (It’s) in that range for this year. There wasn’t any large jump moving to the block plans,” said Wilwohl.
More changes are being made in the next month with the opening of Upchurch University center, according to Avent.
Upchurch Univeristy Center will include a fully-licensed Starbucks, Panda Express, Au Bon Pain and Farmgrill.
Per Avent, dining services may open its new locations in Upchurch University Center the week of Sept. 24.
Greens-to-go has moved from Lancer Café to the bottom of Dorrill Dining Hall after rave reviews from students.
The Comma, a Place to Pause, replaced Java City in the Greenwood Library.
