Meal plan comparable to
convenience store prices
A survey of Grab 'n Go
and 7-Eleven showed
similar pricing
BY KELLY BROWN '
NEWS REPORTER
Those who criticize the price of
higher education apparently aren’t
talking about the food.
A recent Emerald price survey
comparing the Grab ’n Go in Hamil
ton Dining to a local convenience
store showed that prices are similar
— and often cheaper — at the on
campus mart.
Out of 16 randomly selected
items available at both locations,
seven are cheaper at the Grab ’n Go
than the 7-Eleven on Franklin
Boulevard, and three items are the
same price.
If one was to purchase all 16
items, the totals would differ by a
quarter: $36.45 at the Grab ’n Go to
$36.70 at the 7-Eleven.
Tom Driscoll, food services direc
tor for University Housing, said that
because dining services is “cost
making,” meaning things are only
priced high enough to cover costs,
prices tend to be similar to or lower
than area stores.
He said he feels dining services is
more about quality than profit.
“I don’t think that’s the business
we’re in,” he said. “We’re into
building communities, not apart
ment rentals.”
It’s very difficult to determine a
set dollar value per meal point be
cause housing and food costs are
never separate, Driscoll said. Those
living in the residence halls must
purchase a meal point plan, and
meal point plans are only available
to on-campus students.
“We share all custodial and elec
trical costs, so it’s impossible to say,
This amount of money goes to
food,”’ he said.
Kate Horton | Photographer
Students use meal points to purchase food at the Grab n' Go in the Hamilton Complex.
He said all profit made from
dining services goes toward upgrad
ing or adding new facilities, such
as the addition of Fire ’n Spice
Grill in 2002.
Most students interviewed ex
pressed satisfaction with the value
of the meal plan and said that even
if they were given the option to not
purchase the plan, they still would.
“I think it’s a good value ... it’s
more than enough to get through
the week, and the points balance
out to less than a dollar per point,”
said Brenton Agena, a sophomore
vocal performance major. “It costs
more to drive out and then find
somewhere and eat than just to
walk here and use your points.”
Andy Winn, a sophomore politi
cal science major, agreed with Age
na, but he said he found the value
of a point confusing.
“I like how accessible the food is
... there’s lots of variety,” he said.
“But it’s hard to tell, because it
varies from place to place. Pizano’s,
you can get a slice of pizza for a
point, which would be two bucks at
a pizza place, and then you can get
a candy bar, which is 75 cents, for a
point at the Grab ’n Go.”
However, not all students are
happy with the food.
Rachael Hart, a freshman
pre-business administration major,
said that she felt that healthy,
low-fat items are overpriced and not
always available.
“I just feel that for the quality of
food, it seems like the amount of
points you pay is pretty high,” she
said. “The healthy options that they
offer are poor quality ... it’s either
too many points for things that are
healthy, or the things that are
healthy that are offered aren’t real
ly the freshest,” she said. “Things
that are healthy, like cereal, are sev
en, eight, nine points on up.”
Driscoll said that dining services
strives to meet student
expectations.
“Everything we do is a response
to feedback we get from students,”
he said. “We want to serve safe,
great-tasting food — it’s what we’re
here for. ”
Contact the higher
education reporter at
kbrown@dailyemerald. com
POCKETFUL OF SHELLS
1
Zane Rrrr | Photographer
College Republicans Chairman and University senior Anthony Warren fires his 9 mm Beretta semi-automatic at the
Emerald Empire Gun Club in Springfield on Saturday. College Republicans members go to a shooting range every term as
part of their “Second Amendment Day.” TWenty to 30 people went to the range this term, Warren said, about half of whom
had never fired a gun before. “We had just as many females there as we did males, which was surprising and very impres
sive,” Warren said. “This will open the door for them to learn how to safely and responsibly use (guns).” The College Re
publicans held a safety class in the beginning of the day to teach participants how to safely handle and fire different types of
guns. "Everyone had a blast, pardon the pun," Warren said.
—Meghann M. Cuniff
IN BRIEF
ASUO gives free rides to
Westmoreland meeting
Student government will be pro
viding transportation to the Oregon
State Board of Higher Education
hearing where board members will
decide whether to allow the Univer
sity to put the Westmoreland Apart
merits up for sale.
An ASUO van pool will leave at
6 a.m. Friday morning to attend
the hearing from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
at Portland State University.
To reserve a seat, visit the ASUO
office, EMUSuite 4, before 5 p.m.
today. Contact ASUO Vice Presi
dent Kyla Coy at 346-0625 with
questions.
Nicholas Wilbur
STUDENT SPECIAL - MEDIUM
Medium
One-Topping Pizza
Jk A A /Additional Pizzas
^ v$4oo
ffyKKMi Delivery charges may apply. Limited delivery area.
vULwEmli Offer valid to students only. Expires 12/31/05
STUDENT SPECIAL - LARGE
Large
One-Topping Pizza
£ JjjJ* QQ / Additional Pizzas
O^VSjjOO
Delivery charges may apply. Limited delivery area.
Offer valid to students only Expires 12/31/05
Nobody Beats Our
Prices or Quality.
344-3300
DELIVERY* GARRY-OUT
339 E. 11th Avenue
Homecoming Pep Rally
Thursday, Nov. 3 from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
EMU Amphitheater
Entertainment, raffle prizes, and free foodLr-A y
Special performances by the
UO Cheerleaders and Green Garter Bandi/j^^hpg^ ^
Duck Spirit Day
Friday, Nov. 4
Dress in your "Duck" gear on Friday!
The SARB Prize Patrol will be giving away prizes
to all faculty, staff, and students who are "ducked" out
in UO gear from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Events brought to you by the UO
Student Alumni Relations Board
Promoting Spirit. Keeping Traditions.
uoalumni.com
O
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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