When most Ohio University students head home for Thanksgiving feasts next week, those staying behind who rely on their meal plan for grub will be left with decidedly fewer options.
Approximately 170 students stayed on campus over the break last year, Peter Trentacoste, executive director of Residential Housing, said in an email. He estimated a similar number will remain next week, when the dining halls close from Wednesday to Saturday, leaving those students with no venue to use meal swipes.
West 82 will remain open, the only on-campus dining venue to do so; the eatery does not accept meal swipes, only cash, credit cards, Bobcat Cash or Flex Points.
Students with meal plans received an email from Culinary Services, detailing the plan to pro-rate meals.
Students with a Flex or Standard 14 meal plan will have five swipes for the seven-day period from Nov. 24 and ending Nov. 30.
The university opted to close all dining halls this year after few students used them during Thanksgiving break last year, Daniel Pittman, assistant director of auxiliary sales, said in an email.
“Our team has been working hard to ensure that all of our guests are accommodated during the approaching Thanksgiving holiday,” Pittman said.
The university didn’t base the decision on financial aspects, Pittman said. The amount the university will save wasn’t immediately available at press time.
Nelson Dining Hall was open during the break last year — the first year OU was open over Thanksgiving break.
OU’s most purchased meal plan — the Flex 14 — costs $2,714 a semester this year.
Students with Standard meal plans do not have Flex Points and therefore, must spend their own money or Bobcat Cash to eat at West 82.
Students can stay on campus at no additional cost.
Dining halls will be closed or limited at other public universities on semesters, including Bowling Green State University, Kent State University and Miami University.
“Dining services works with international students in advance and reminds them to stock up,” said Emily Vincent, director of university communications and marketing at Kent.
On Nov. 28, West 82 will serve a “traditional” Thanksgiving meal and offer halal beef and chicken options, Pittman said.
Halal food, which is religiously acceptable under Muslim law, is usually hard to come by on-campus, said Fajer Buarki, an undecided sophomore from Kuwait, who adheres to the religious practice.
“(Last year) my whole hall was basically empty except for a few RAs. Mostly I stayed in my room,” Buarki said. “I feel like some students will feel lonely.”
@Dinaivey
db794812@ohiou.edu
This article appeared in print under the headline "Thanksgiving dining options limited."
