Union has no plan to incorporate meal points

Currently, there are 20 locations around campus that accept meal points, but none of them are in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe IMU and Residential Programs and Services have not had a contract together since 1999. The contract between the IMU and RPS, however, fell through after one year.\nThomas Simmons, associate director of the IMU, said the program was very popular among students and that it increased the number of people who went into the IMU. \nSimmons said the program was not renewed for a second year because of disagreements on proposed changes to the system such as limiting the amount of meal points that could be spent every day. \nPat Connor, executive director of RPS, said that although he was not at IU in 1999, his understanding of why the IMU no longer accepts meal points is a bit different than what the IMU said it was. \nConnor said RPS could not financially afford to continue allowing meal points to be accepted in the Union. \nHe explained that one meal point dollar has to cover the cost of the food as well as everything it takes to produce the food. \n“Every meal dollar has a cost,” Connor said. “If the money goes outside of covering cost, we would need cutbacks.” \nAlthough the Union has not since accepted meal points, it has since created Union Plus, according to the IMU’s Web site. Union Plus allows IU students and faculty members to put a minimum of $100 into a meal plan that can be used in the Union as well as the food courts in the Herman B Wells library and the Education Building. Student using Union Plus receive a 5 percent discount on all purchases made through the plan. \nIn June 2007, the IMU filed a proposal with University administrators to invite RPS to come in and work inside the Union as soon as fall of 2007, said Steve Mangan, general manager of the IMU. \n“We would be willing to accept meal points tomorrow,” Mangan said. \nThe proposal did not go very far. Connor blames the timing of the proposal as being too late. He also said RPS would not have financially benefited from the proposal. \nConnor said that after spring break, a consulting firm plans to talk to students about how to improve dining services on campus. \nFor sopohmore Matt Xiong, his mind is already made up about what RPS should do about the possibility of accepting meal points again.\n“I would eat (in the Union) more often and probably be more focused with my studies because I would be able to do my homework here,” Xiong said. \nSophomore Liz Helling also agreed with Xiong. \n“It would be a lot more convenient because I do not have a lot of real money to spend on food,” Helling said.