Stonehill College dining does not currently meet the needs of students. There are limited hours that are too restrictive, there is only one meal plan option that is available for students and required for residents to purchase, and there is a lack of fresh options and local produce. As Student Advocates for Delicious Dining (SADD), we are attempting to make Administration aware of these issues. 

We are proposing 3 major ideas to the Administration and other decision makers:

1. Extended Dining Hours: On weekends the Commons should open at 8:30 a.m. with continental breakfast and begin serving hot food at 9:00 a.m. Dinner on the weekends should close at 7:30 p.m. Gigi's and Au Bon Pain should be open 6-7 days a week instead of 5-6 days a week. Just as they have continental breakfast in the mornings, there should be a continental option during lunch time, where students would be able to serve themselves so they have lunch options even if they are in class when the Commons is typically open for lunch. For dinner hours, the Commons should be open from 5:15-8:00 p.m. Stonehill should also consider creating a student discount code for GrubHub or UberEATS for hours they do not want to have the dining options open.

2. Multiple Meal Plans: Stonehill College currently only offers one meal plan for all students. Students have complained that the plan is either too much or not enough money. We are asking Stonehill to bring back their multiple meal plans. The default plan will stay at $1,350, the lower tier plan will be $1,000, and the higher tier plan will be $1,700. Additionally, there is not enough awareness about the food pantry on campus. We are asking to bring more awareness of the food pantry, and it should be expanded to service students in need. For students who struggle to afford a meal plan, there needs to be more awareness surrounding grants and funding for meal plans. There should be an option for students to donate their leftover meal plan dollars to students who have run out of meal plan dollars--UVM does this with it's students. Lastly, there should be an option for students to use some of their meal plan money to transfer over to Hill dollars and use them at for dining options off campus.

3. Assist Food Truth with "Ace Approved Food:" Other student organizations are working on adding a component to the Bite app called "Ace Approved Food." This label would help students find foods that are local, organic, and healthy options. This not only supports local farms, but also helps students with making healthier and informed decisions about what they're eating.

Sign our petition and help us to make Stonehill dining reflect the needs and desires of it's students!