UGA students demand cheaper meal plans due to COVID-19 adjustments
ATHENS, Ga. - Several students at the University of Georgia are frustrated with changes the school has made to the dining experience out of coronavirus health and safety concerns.
UGA students told FOX 5's Alex Whittler they’re trying to make the best out of their college experience during the pandemic, but they don’t think the food served in the dining hall is worth what the thousands of dollars they're paying.
A viral video posted to TikTok still has students talking more than a week after it was posted.
University of Georgia sophomore Will O’Bannon recorded the long lines that snake around the outside and inside of the Village Summit Dining Commons.
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In the video, there are markers on the ground to encourage social distancing, and several empty trays with signs reading “this area is unavailable.”
Students said they appreciate the school’s dedication to keeping students safe during the pandemic by limiting the number of foods left out in the open, but they told FOX 5 they don’t think it’s fair to pay full price for fewer options and inconvenient lines.
"The line can take up to an hour just to get your food and go, not even to sit down," sophomore Asher Testa said.
"Most students want hot food, so that line is longer," O'Bannon said.
School representatives sent an email explaining:
“Two dining halls -- Bolton and Village Summit -- re-opened on August 14, and have remained open. That is standard practice at the beginning of the semester.
"To better support students, Dining Services re-opened Oglethorpe early to provide additional options. Snelling was always scheduled to re-open on August 20."
Testa said she just canceled her meal plan because the lines are still long, even after all dining halls reopened.
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"It still took an hour to get to the front of the line," she said.
Before canceling, she found herself using the school’s GrubHub pick-up option, which she said, offered the same sandwiches daily.
"I don’t want to eat a cold sandwich every day. The GrubHub pick up meals are the same," she said.
Testa said the school refunded the remaining balance on her meals account upon cancellation.
The school said it is doing everything it can to make campus life as comfortable as possible. One of the dining announcements online reads:
"While COVID-19 has created a number of challenges for everyone, we want you to know we are listening to your feedback and we continue to look at areas where adjustments can be made to further meet the needs of our customers."
Students said they understand why there are fewer options, but they said they don’t think it is fair to pay the same price they did last year, before the coronavirus, when there were more food choices available.
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