Despite last-minute efforts by the Student Government Association, the commuter meal plan has been set and will go forward as planned for the 2010-2011 year.

On March 3, top St. Edward’s University administration officials and SGA officers met to discuss the meal plan.

SGA Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs Chris Duke, SGA President Meghan Kuentz, Auxiliary Services Director Mike Stone, Vice President of Financial Affairs Rhonda Cartwright, Vice President of Marketing Paige Booth and Dean of Students Lisa Kirkpatrick attended the meeting.

Duke said SGA was told that the decision for next year was final.

“They said this was a ‘business decision,'” Duke said. “They never particularly sought students’ approval, but rather input. The four years I’ve been here, we’ve continued to see the same rhetoric: the parking garage is a ‘business decision,’ the technology fee is a ‘business decision,’ tuition is a ‘business decision.'”

The controversy has already sparked dissent from students. Students organized an on-campus demonstration over the newly-required meal plan Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Our concern as students is St. Edward’s acting on behalf of Bon Appetit, in addition to the meal plan cutoff,” said sophomore Eric Bomblatus, who is leading the demonstration. “We can’t keep what we don’t spend. Students that commute don’t eat on campus. “

Bomblatus also added that Bon Appetit was not the only one to blame in this situation.

The protesters are not alone. Thus far, SGA’s input has been entirely against the meal plan options, Duke said.

“They pretty much hated all of it,” Duke said. “SGA also conducted independent research finding that out of 16 benchmark schools, including Baylor University, Rice University, St. Mary’s College, Texas State University, Trinity University and University of the Incarnate Word, none of them have a mandated commuter meal plan. Two of the institutions, Santa Clara University and University of Portland, use Bon Appetit.”

St. Edward’s regularly uses benchmark schools as a gauge to help in making decisions.

Auxiliary Services had originally consulted SGA about the meal plan in meetings from Nov. 19, 2009 to Jan. 28, but Stone said that any input from SGA after Feb. 1 could not be considered.

“Since meal plans have such a major impact on students, it only makes sense to solicit the input of SGA on the structure of the plans,” Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Stone said. “After Feb. 1, it became virtually impossible to make changes.”

But Duke said the deadline was vague and SGA was not given concrete dates.

“I don’t recall at any time having a deadline, being told that this needs to be finalized by Feb. 1,” Duke said. “That, to me, would have been a little bit more critical, and I think that would have allowed us to potentially look at other alternatives.”

Duke said that the meeting was positive in that SGA and Auxiliary Services plan on communicating about these issues more in the future.

“I did get some openness to the next administration, when they go around for the budgetary proposals next year, they’re open to an alternative,” Duke said.

Stone said that he agreed and hoped the input process would be more organized in the future.

“We discussed the issues related to the commuter meal plan,” Stone said. “But more importantly for the long run, we discussed how the effort to gather input from SGA on meal plans for 2010-11 did not work effectively for Auxiliary Services or for SGA.”

SGA will have input again next year, Stone said.

“I will consult SGA next year about meal plans for 2011-2012,” Stone said. “I think after our experiences this year, both parties will have a better idea how to communicate and make their input much more effective and timely.”

The task next year will be the same -reconciling SGA’s opposition to a commuter meal plan and Auxiliary Services’ contractual obligation to Bon Appetit.

“SGA would much prefer being proactive than not being involved in the process at all,” Duke said. “I appreciate Director Stone’s courage to be able to do that.”

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