johnjayBig changes could be on the way next year for how Columbia students do on-campus dining, especially for those on meal plans. According to student government sources, to meet student desire for greater flexibility in their dining plans and to encourage healthier eating habits, meal plans will be shifting from the current meals-per-semester system to a meals-per-week system. Furthermore, instead of the current lunch-and-dinner-only setup, there will be four different meal times: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after dinner. The exact times of those four meals, and the amount of meals available per week, are still being settled.

In addition, Ferris Booth and JJ’s Place will now be incorporated into the meal plan, with Ferris Booth joining John Jay as an all-you-can-eat location. The changes will only apply to meal plans, with upperclassmen continuing to have the option of dropping the meal plan entirely, though they can of course choose the meals-per-week plan if they wish.

Finally, Dining will bow to convenience and also start accepting credit cards next semester at all locations.

– DH