SGA Update: No Meal Plan Reform in the Foreseeable Future

PARKER FISKE ’18
STAFF WRITER
The Student Government Association convened briefly on Sunday, Oct. 28 to discuss a variety of topics and hear from Women and Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC) Head, Laura Lockwood.
The Student Liaison for Chartwells, Brendan Lynch ’20, returned to the body with grim pessimism for any possibility for meal plan reform. Chartwells Dining Group, working under the umbrella of the Compass Group, received harsh backlash from SGA representatives last week for their rigid meal plan structure and recent hike in the price of dinner at Mather Hall. After meeting with the Vice President of Finance Dan Hitchell, among others, Lynch explained the unique tri-structure of the meal plan system; students pay the school each year and, in turn, the school pays Chartwells a fixed contractual amount.
Such a unique structure makes meal plan reform next to impossible even as students clamor for more dining alternatives and relaxed costs. The cost of labor remains the highest cost for the company, Lynch explained, making it difficult to scale back prices even as they look to cut costs elsewhere.
After various other announcements, SGA Preseident Emily Claytor ’18 filled the body in on plans for Homecoming Weekend, Nov. 10-12. After meeting with Dean of Students Joseph DiChristina, representatives from the alumni office, and representatives of Inter Greek Council (IGC), Claytor centered in on the area just to the right of Vernon social for a homecoming tent. The 60 feet x 30 feet tent will offer food and non-alcoholic beverages to students and alumni, with a separate adjacent area for alcohol that participants pay for.
Senior Class President Austin Lamothe ’18 informed the body that Senior Snowball will be Dec. 9 in the Washington Room. The event is limited to members of the senior class, and cloth bracelets will be given after show ing Trinity ID to enter. Much like Trintoberfest, Chartwells will distribute drink tickets at the event itself. For interested students, look for announcements in the Class of 2018 Facebook group in the coming weeks.
Laura Lockwood then filled the SGA in on the role of WGRAC (Women and Gender Resource Action Center), and briefed the representatives on a few upcoming events. WGRAC addresses issues of inequality on campus, whether they are racial, gender, or class based. Lockwood helps coordinate events like the annual “Take Back the Night”, where students speak out against sexual assault as well as the bystander intervention training requisite of all sophomores. On Oct. 30, Mary Collins and Donald Collins visited Mather Hall for the discussion, “At the Broken Places: A Mother and Trans Son Pick Up the Pieces”. On Nov. 9, WGRAC hosts a common hour lunch talk by Lydia Velez Herrera, a survivor of traumatic brain injury.