Late night bites not enough
Written by Frank Kurtz, Sep 23, 2012, 0 Comments
At first it seemed like good news from the university. But after a double take on the electronic mail I received from them, I am more pissed than ever before.
Great, dining hours will be extended from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (for a month-long trial). But you will not be able to use that meal plan that cost you $1,600 or $1,000. Nope, you’ll be forced to pay for those late night meals either through “Shark Bites,” “Bull’s Bucks,” your debit or credit card or cold hard stinking cash.
Isn’t that convenient for those of us who have classes that turn out at 8:50, 9, or 9:50 p.m.?
The moniker that I have attached to the newest building on campus is perfect: the University Revenue Building. Students living on campus—forced to buy a meal plan, so Sodexo is guaranteed X amount of customers (this way the multi-national company will reap a profit from our picturesque campus)—already paid to buy sub-standard collegiate cafeteria food. But now they cannot use that meal plan after 8:30 p.m., but have to fork up more cash.
When I was initially upset about the dining hall’s hours, I wasn’t expecting the entire dining hall to change its hours. I had hoped for a rotation between the meal stations that would be open in the after hours, that way those of us who take late night classes could grab a bite to eat afterward.
One would also logically deduce that we could use our meal plan to buy meals that fit accordingly with a collegians’ schedule.
Not so. Those who line the company’s pockets are those who continue to get exploited.
Give me a break, Sodexo. How many billions will you make this year without USF St. Petersburg’s late night hours contributing to your bottom line?
The fact that the dining hall will be open for an additional two and a half hours is huge; but we shouldn’t stop there.
If you’re getting a late night snack at the new dining hall, demand first to use your meal plan. Be vocal, but respectful—if you didn’t go to hot breakfast (which ends at 9:30 a.m.) insist that you should be able to use that meal in place of a late night delicacy. Ask to talk to the manager and make your voice be heard. If enough of us complain, we can force change.
I have dealt with this university system going on seven years, and one observation I have is that the squeaky wheel hits the grease. Advice to my fellow USFSP students is to squeak, and squeak loudly.
fkurtz@mail.usf.edu
