TUCSON, Ariz. - A group of ASU students said the proposed new mandatory meal plans disregarded the voice of the student body at the Arizona Board of Regents meeting at UA Thursday.
Three changes were made to the original proposal to incorporate student opinion gathered at student forums and organization meetings, said Aimee Gipper, chair of the meal-plan committee.
The meal-plan proposal is now a separate agenda item from the renovations to dining facilities like the Memorial Union and Palo Verde Main, which meal-plan revenue could potentially fund, Gipper said.
The original plan sought to fund renovations from meal-plan revenue, but now ASU could seek money from private sources and loans if the meal-plan proposal does not pass ABOR approval, she said.
"Students have always and continue to support renovations," she said.
The new version of the proposal also allows all students purchasing a plan to choose between all of the meal-plan options, making the cheapest option for all students $1,900.
Previously, the proposal limited options available to freshmen. The cheapest option for freshmen had been $2,700.
While the Regents will not vote on the meal-plan proposal until March, they will vote to approve the facility improvements at their meeting today.
Richard Sales, Undergraduate Student Government senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, spoke to the Regents on behalf of a group of 10
students in opposition to the meal plan and the renovations.
Sales said he does not support the approval of the building renovations until a definite source of funding is presented.
Since the funding would not be coming directly from the meal-plan revenue, it could come from a tuition hike or cuts in critical programs, Sales added.
"The Regents should not make a decision on this until a source of funding is clear," he said.
Gipper said the meal-plan would fund the renovations if the proposal were passed. But if the meal-plan proposal does not gain ABOR approval, the meal-plan committee is not sure where the funding will come from, she said.
"But we can have our renovations, regardless of whether or not the meal plans are approved," she added.
Sales said the two issues are too connected to be decided now, since the meal plans could potentially fund the renovations.
"This needs to be made more clear to the public," he said. "We need more time."
Reach the reporter at tara.brite@asu.edu.
