Why I've got to eat somewhere else

The U has been less than friendly in the morning.

I stop by Middlebrook Hall’s cafeteria, thinking I’d slap down a few bucks to eat with the students.

Yeah, right. No walk-ins here.

The woman at the information desk explains that you have to be part of a meal plan to eat there — or be the guest of a student.

What’s this?

Back in my University of Georgia days, you could just pay cash if you weren’t on the plan.

Whether it’s security or payment issues or whatever — it ain’t right, I say.

Man, things have changed.

About the blogger

Alex Friedrich

afriedrich@mpr.org

Alex Friedrich reports on higher education issues for MPR News. Among the stories he has covered: the fall of the Berlin Wall, aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, 2003 Moscow suicide bombing and 2004 presidential elections in the Republic of Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s in European political economy from the London School of Economics.

Dan

Hey – it's a new day. The change has meant the changers don't have to handle change! Just ID cards that get “loaded” with FlexDine credits or other meal plans. Guests eat off of the students cards. It's a plastic world (and minimizes U risk around the whole money thing). The students love it, actually. (Mine does.)