University of Virginia Library

Change

I am writing solely as a
student concerned about his
school. I feel that it is about
time that some changes are
made at "Contract." It just
es not seem right that Food
Services should be able to
make changes and cutbacks;
while disregarding the students
in a meal plan which already
was poorly operated.

Let me begin by describing
another college's Contract Meal
Plan... Three meals, seven days
a week are served. Each
student is allowed an unlimited
amount of food at each meal.
At breakfast, students bring
pitchers to the cafeteria to fill
with orange juice and milk,
which they then take back to
their rooms. They are allowed
to take their trays to wherever
they want to eat. And the food
is good. Roast beef and steak
are served once a week (in
recognizable portions). There is
even Roquefort dressing for the
salads. Does it seem that such a
Contract Meal Plan exists?
Well, it does at Middlebury
College in Vermont.

Now I shall describe the
University of Virginia's
Contract Meal Plan... "The
Contract Cafeteria is designed
for the student who seeks good
food, served by a capable staff,
at a cost within his budget."
(quoted from "An
Introduction to Food Services
at the University").

Little did the University
first-year student know of
what was in store for him when
he sent in his (increased price
of) $460 for a full year of
Contract. He may have
calculated that if he was to eat
all meals offered he would only
be spending $2.50 per day. He
thought he was sure to have
enough to eat with the
unlimited bread, dessert and
salad from "the salad bar." It
sounded like a good deal And
perhaps he may have become a
little wary when he received a
letter saying "Contract isn't for
everyone."

Early complaints (justified
of course) concerned the lack
of meal variety, the small
portions, the excessive starch
content, and the empty
beverage machines. The
observant student then began
to notice continual
"cutbacks." The salad bar was
moved into the cafeteria line
(and now salads are pre-made
and one apiece). The cafeteria
became closed to non-ticket
holders and a wall was added
to separate it from Open
Square. Desserts were limited
to two apiece. Now only one
dessert is allowed, along with
one fourth of a cup of juice
(perhaps there wouldn't be as
many colds if more Vitamin C
and better foods were given). A
typical breakfast now consists
of two powdered eggs, two
strips of bacon, one doughnut,
and a "small" glass of juice.
And just today they
announced that for breakfast
you will be allowed any seven
items.

Of no consolation is the
fact that we can now sell our
Contract tickets at a $66 loss.
We can't cook in our rooms,
and to get a decent meal in
Charlottesville is to pay over
two dollars.

I fell some revisions by
Food Services at Contract
should be made immediately.
Contract is run like a "Bronx
profit organization." Perhaps a
meeting should be arranged
between Food Services and a
few representative students.

There is a definite desire for
quick reforms... A petition will
be circulated...just walk into
the cafeteria and notice the
complaints...