Although freshman students pay the same price for a required meal plan, there are clear differences in the food options available in the freshman dorms. Freshmen living in Mahoney-Pearson face the same lackluster options day after day, while students in Centennial enjoy breakfast all day, fresh pastries, multiple entrée choices, a huge salad bar and a bread selection large enough to fill a bakery.
The differences between Centennial and Mahoney-Pearson dining halls are astonishing. Centennial has variety, freshness and customization. Mahoney-Pearson has monotony — limited choices and food that feels like an afterthought. The solution isn’t complicated: either make the dining halls genuinely equal in quality and range, or adjust the meal plan pricing to reflect the difference.
“For us, equity in dining means ensuring every student — regardless of where they live, study or dine — has equal access to nutritious, culturally diverse and enjoyable meals,” said Michael Ross, the vice president of operations for UM Dining Services, in a statement to The Hurricane.
Between classes, labs, extracurriculars and Miami’s extreme weather conditions, a 10-minute detour each way can mean missing a meal altogether. When your local dining hall consistently disappoints, you’re stuck choosing between convenience and nutrition.
The quality of a freshman’s dining experience, including cleanliness, food quality and available options, is determined by a random housing assignment.
“Everything is spotless [at the Centennial Dining Hall], all the food is fresh,” said freshman Mahoney-Pearson resident Milena Hiza. “When you go to Mahoney-Pearson, the lettuce is brown. Even the water has a weird taste. My friend had a worm in her chicken one day, and my roommates saw a roach in the cookies.”
Hiza also noted that the time it would take to go from Mahoney-Pearson to Centennial whenever she wants a quick bite is just unrealistic.
“Am I really going to have the time to walk all the way to Centennial just to have a quick salad? Everyone’s so busy with clubs and classes, I just don’t see how it’s fair that some people have a great dining hall close by. As freshmen, we have to pay for the dining plan, and I feel like I’m throwing away my money.”
Complaints about Mahoney-Pearson are often dismissed with the explanation that Centennial residents pay more for housing. While this is true, students living in Mahoney-Pearson and Centennial pay the exact same amount for their meal plans.
. Mahoney-Pearson residents with dietary needs and restrictions are penalized with a 10-minute walk when they want food that their body is less likely to reject.
Match the meal plan to the dining experience. Make the food and the system fair.
Until the food reflects the same standard across campus, students in Mahoney-Pearson are paying premium prices for second-tier meals, and that’s hard to swallow.