This is in response to the Jan. 29 editorial “Residence halls deserve better meal plan options.” While the author raises a valid question I myself have once asked, I feel that this person has missed a few key points.

Yes, residents of University housing are limited to only a portion of the total meal plans available. What the author failed to mention is the fact that if a resident lives in Roy Wilkins, University Village or Riverbend Commons, they have the option to choose from any of the meal plans UDS offers or to have no meal plan at all.

Yes, I agree that the costs of the meal plans available to residents are a bit unbalanced. Consider the fact that the smallest meal plan available, the 170 block plan, costs more than the 19 meals per week plan. This is due, in part, to the extra flex dine that comes with the plan. Perhaps residents would be better served if they weren’t required to take the flex dine too. I’m sure the prices also figure in more than just the cost of food, such as operating costs, wage payments, and the like.

How do we fix this? Aside from comment cards, there is a prime opportunity coming up this February. The hall/community council of every hall in University housing will have the chance to meet and discuss issues and concerns they feel are important with, among others, the director of housing and the director of residence hall dining.

This is the perfect setting to bring up an issue such as this. Get in touch with your hall council and tell them your views. Whether it’s opening up more of the existing meal plans to residents or offering more meal plans, the people to talk to will be at this meeting. For those who don’t live in the residence halls with UDS issues, try bringing your concerns to MSA.

If no one puts out an effort to change things, then we have no business complaining about how bad they are. This doesn’t apply just to UDS.