Students at Saint Mary's are implementing a new dining hall committee this semester. Formed by Student Activities Board President Adrienne Dorbish and Sophomore Class President Sarah Brown, the committee will serve as a touchstone between the student body and the Noble Family Dining Hall staff. Dorbish and Brown hope to effectively voice student concerns about the current meal plan options and the quality of food in the dining hall.

"There are numerous students that intern or student teach and are forced to be off campus all day," said Dorbish. "These students do not eat 14 meals a week, but are forced to pay for the Option 14 plan," she said.

The dining hall, operated under Sodexho Campus Food Services, currently offers two meal plans to students. Option 14 yields students 14 meals per week and $125 of Munch Money per semester. The Carte Blanche plan allows students to have unlimited meals, but only $10 in Munch Money per semester.

Dorbish and Brown are proposing an Option Seven and Option 10 meal plan as alternatives for students.

"We want to allow students to purchase fewer meals and have more munch money on their student account. We are also hoping to have some hot breakfast food served earlier in the morning so nurses and student teachers who are up very early in the morning can eat something more than cold cereal or fruit," Dorbish said.

Dorbish also said she believes the majority of the student body is unsatisfied with the quality of food in the dining hall this year.

"The dining hall staff works very hard to please the variety of students on campus," she said, "but I still feel many of the students are displeased with the food at times."

Dorbish hopes to conduct a student survey as one of the committee's first projects that will ask students their opinions on the quality and variety of food in the dining hall, as well as their views on the current meal plan options.

"I think a committee like this could help alleviate a lot of the problems in the dining hall," said senior Lauren Dasso. "Efficiency is a huge issue. A lot of students don't have time to wait in the long likes and set an hour for lunch aside everyday."

Dorbish, Brown, and other members of the Board of Governance will meet with Kevin Kirwan, district manager of Sodexho Campus Services, next week to discuss concerns about the dining hall's current operations.

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