During the 2018-2019 academic year, Bradley Campus Affairs will partner with Dining Services to work on implementing guest meal swipes into meal plans.
In December of 2017, Cal Weisman, junior sports communication major and Vice President of Campus Affairs in Student Senate, said he approached Vice President of Student Affairs Nathan Thomas and Food Service Director Gayle Hanson to share student feedback concerning ideas and proposals they received throughout the semester. Weisman proposed the incorporation of guest meal swipes to the standing meal plan structure.
“The thought behind this is when a student brings family [or] friends to campus, they would be given a small amount of swipes per semester to take them to dining halls, rather than having to use dining dollars,” Weisman said.
Upon taking Weisman’s proposal to the Food Service Advisory Committee, Hanson was involved in discussing different options concerning guest meal swipes.
“Currently, the plan is still in the process of being formalized, and the committee is reviewing information to determine what options would be available for the students when they return in the fall,” Hanson said.
Meal will are broken into three divisions: dining dollars, quick cash and meal swipes. The guest plan not to impact students quick cash or dining dollars but will allow a rather small division in meal swipes that can be designated to guests of Bradley students.
“Each residential student on a meal plan will be able to use a certain number of swipes for guests,” Weisman said. “An individual can still choose to use all swipes for themselves; however, this plan gives students more flexibility with dining plans.
According to Weisman, different meal plans will include different guest swipes. The 120 Block meal plan will include 20 guest swipes all together. All other on-campus plans, All Access, 14 Per Week and 9 Per Week, will have two guest swipes each week.
“I feel like it’s extremely beneficial,” Lindsay Loquercio, a freshman nursing student, said. “When I had my boyfriend over, it was inconvenient for me to use my own [dining dollars] for him in the dining halls. I think a lot of students bring their guests here, and they need to be fed but not at the expense of my own [dining dollars].”
