2008 Woodie Awards
With food prices like these, there should be a wine list
Staff Opinion
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: Opinion
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Electricity, a room, heat, running water and internet connection all come packaged together in dorm rooms at UW-Whitewater. However, an affordable dining choice is not included. It should be since college students are synonymous with having little money.
The university pushes the purchase of meal plans. The meal plan emphasis is not the problem. There are plenty of options out there and many different combinations a student may make to spend their meal plan.
However, the foods outside of meal plans are the problem.
If you live in the dorms and don't have a car (or even if
you do), you often use places like Drumlin Market as your grocery store. Students may use one meal plan per transfer period. There are 26 periods in every week. However, what are they supposed to do if their schedule conflicts and they must get something to eat in an already used meal period? They have to use their dining dollars or other means to purchase food either on campus or off campus at a restaurant.
Some may think that leaving campus is a time-consuming inconvenience. Ordering food and having it delivered can be expensive. It also becomes an expense in addition to what has already been paid for in a meal plan.
The university would like you to think that places like Drumlin Market and the satellite dining locations in Andersen Library and Upham Hall are convenient because they are on campus. The location is convenient; however, the prices for the products they offer are not.
Sure, they're a profit-making company, but they have a monopoly, and it's all students have. They shouldn't be taking advantage of that by having unreasonable prices.
There aren't any gas stations or grocery stores right next door to any dormitory. There's at least nothing as convenient as the dining halls.
However, Prairie Street Café and Drumlin Market are closer alternatives. If you're looking to save money, though, you're better off walking the five blocks or so to the nearest gas station or grocery store. Students staying on campus get a minimum of $50 in dining dollars with their mandatory meal plan, but they're not getting their money's worth in what they buy.
For instance, a student can go to Drumlin dining hall and pay $2.45 for a gallon of milk. However, it's $1.95 at Sentry.
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