New school year brings campus changes

Frank Morrone

Staff Reporter

There are a few changes that may unexpectedly affect the daily routine of returning students this fall. One of the changes on Sacred Heart University’s campus is a new meal plan that came into effect this fall.

Mark Tammone, senior director of dining services, said the new dining program is in response to a “student outcry” that in prior years expressed dissatisfaction with previous meal plan format. He said the introduction of the new meal plan should allow for greater “flexibility” and better accommodate students.

The Chartwells new dining plan is focused around a pay per entry dining option. That payment will allow students to eat and drink all they want from the cafeteria during certain meal times as long as they do not leave the designated dining area. This will be the policy for the breakfast hours of 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. and dinner hours of 4:30 p.m. until 8: 00 p.m. on weekdays.

The policy for weekend meals in the main cafeteria will only be the pay per entry dining option. Weekend meals will be designated as brunch from 8:00 a.m. till 3:30 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 p.m. till 8:00 p.m.

Students will only be permitted at certain times in dining areas adjacent to the main cafeteria, including the cafeteria itself, if they don’t elect to pay as they enter. The Mahogany Room will continue to be available for anytime student access, except for the dinner hours during weekdays, unless a student is willing to purchase the dinner time dining option.

During the weekdays, lunch will remain à la carte, allowing students to purchase individual items from 11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Other dining areas, such as Outtakes, Coyote Jacks and Mondo Subs, will remain similar to the way they have been in the past and items will be paid for individually.Coyote Jacks and Mondo Subs will offer a new “late night trade” option that will accept pay per entry meal swipes for a certain food and drink bundle.

In regards to the change, sophomore Alyssa Zadrozinski said not being able finish work in the Mahogany Room without paying for a meal might sometimes be an “inconvenience,” but admitted the restricted hours of the dinning periods would probably not affect her too much. Zadrozinski said the completion of the Student Commons, which will include a new dining facility, would hopefully help solve that problem.

There are two locations on campus that began construction near the end of last spring semester. One area is an outdoor space nearby the Mahogany Room, and includes the bordering corridor of the University Commons (UC). According to project engineer Dan Schneider, the outdoor area is a new Courtyard Commons and will include a fountain and seating walls.

The corridor of the UC was renovated with new furniture, television, and has an expanded size. Schneider says both the corridor and courtyard are expected to be completed by early October.

The other location is by the hill near Curtis Hall and will be the site of the Students Commons building. According to the April 2010 Sacred Heart University press release, the Student Commons “is planned for completion in early 2012.” The bookstore and computer services center will relocate there, it will include a full-service kitchen with the availability to seat 300 people and will have a rathskeller style pub.

Mike Tarantino, former student and current Admissions Counselor at Sacred Heart said, “The Student Commons building will be a great addition to our campus. This building is designed with the students’ greatest needs in mind and it will become the new social center of the campus.”

There are also new changes affecting the William H. Pitt Health and Recreation Center. Students will now use their student ID in order to gain access. In addition, the hours of the gym have been extended to 12 a.m. from Mondays to Thursdays.

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