The fate of sack lunches was under heavy debate at the Inter Residence Hall Association meeting Thursday night.

Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence, and Jon Lewis, director of campus dining, presented IRHA and several students their Room and Board Rate Proposals for 2003-2004.

Jon Lewis spoke on meal plan enhancements, saying what he is proposing will be the “best facility in Iowa, perhaps in the Midwest.” The plans being offered are totally different than what students are currently offered, Lewis said.

Unlimited meal plans will be offered to students in the Premium Cy plan.

Students will get an unlimited number of meals a week and 100 Dining Dollar$ for $1,600 a semester. Other plans include meals being distributed by the week and different amounts of Dining Dollar$. Sack lunches will be available. However, they will be paid for by Dining Dollar$ instead of meal plans, Lewis said. Take-out and retail meals will also use Dining Dollar$, he said.

IRHA members and several members of the audience voiced concerns on the sack lunches. Andrew Tugan, Linden Hall president, expressed his concern on the possible lack of nutritious foods. “[I’m] concerned [the meals] will make us fatter,” he said.

Lewis disagreed with this statement and said the food courts and the Union Drive Marketplace will offer healthy alternatives to students.

The results of a survey done in 1997 by Iowa State students is being used as research for the proposed plans.

The dining and living arrangements offered at Iowa State were not matching what students wanted, Alexander said.

Iowa State was a “one price, one size institution,” Alexander said.

According to information on the types of rooms students wanted, Iowa State fell short by 2,000 apartment style beds and 1,900 suite style beds. Iowa State was in a surplus of 3,600 dormitory style beds.

Buildings are run-down because the DOR has not collected enough money to pay for up-keep, Alexander said. Increases in room rates will be between 0 percent and 7.75 percent. On average, a 5 percent increase will be seen in revenue for the DOR, he said.

The DOR presented this information to IRHA to vote on to see the level of support. Alexander stressed that IRHA cannot change proposals. IRHA can vote on and affect changes to programs brought by the DOR, he said.

Jennie Erwin, Union Drive Association president, said students need to be more aware of the women’s basketball game coming up on Feb. 15 in order for IRHA to meet its goal of selling out Hilton Coliseum.

The visitation policy was discussed and will be back for voting next week.

Erwin is co-writer of this bill and reinforced the idea that “not all of us have the luxury of [living in halls] with large group rooms and close computer labs.”

IRHA President Keith Twombley told members he and a committee are going to meet with Bob Bourne, director of transportation, to discuss possible route changes.

In other IRHA news, Brad Holcomb has been seated as the new IRHA director of information technology.

The diversity on campus billed failed, with an 8-9-4 vote. The bill, written by Towers Residence Association Treasurer Colleen Prosser, called for IRHA to allocate $1,635 to this weekend’s Multicultural Leadership Summit. The conference’s revamped bill was referred to a committee and will be up again next week.

Carl Carlson, IRHA director of finance, urged parliament to find charitable events for residents in the dorms, since IRHA collects and spends money on beneficial programs for students.

Twombley urged everyone to familiarize themselves with the old visitation policy and the new policy and for residents to inform their representative of their choice.

Twombley also would like anyone to e-mail him with questions or concerns regarding anything. Twombley can be reached at [email protected].

If students would like to learn more about the proposed room and board changes, the DOR will be posting the presentation on its Web site, http://www.irha.us/.