Photo by Manas Pant/The Gazelle

In an interview with Chair of the Student Dining Committee Firas Ashraf, Deputy Dean of Students Donna Eddleman and staff member Harvey Brereton, who is responsible for the NYU Abu Dhabi’s catering service contract, The Gazelle discussed updates and developments within the Committee.

According to Ashraf, the committee’s priority is to have better communication between ADNH Compass, administration and the student body.

“Students have complained in the past that the committee is not transparent, but we give weekly updates on the NYUAD Student Life Facebook,” he said.

Brereton noted that ADNH takes student feedback and suggestions seriously. However, before implementing a change, ADNH likes to see a common trend in student behavior. He explained that the main chef sat down at the dining hall every day for two months to observe student behavior.

“Our new chef is working really hard to create new dining concepts that enhance the students’ dining experience based on what he has seen in the dining hall,” Brereton noted.

In the eyes of all members of the committee there has been a positive response to the changes in dining concepts. Ashraf mentioned that since the suggestion board was added in the dining hall, there is increasing student input. He also highlighted the fact that this platform allows the committee to prioritize different dining concerns on campus.

According to the Deputy Dean of Students, the positive feedback has not only come from the student body — faculty and staff have also expressed their satisfaction with the new changes.

“The committee was pleased to receive one email from a faculty member who was content with the introduction of the Arabic breakfast,” Eddleman noted.

There will be a modification to the meal plan for students who are not on full scholarships. A separate option is currently under study in conversation with different parties across campus. These new dining options will be piloted during the summer. These are the F4 option, a four-week meal plan, and the F10, a ten-week plan.

Both include a weekly deposit of eight meal swipes and 30 Campus Dirhams. In both of these plans, deposits will occur before Saturday midnight and swipes will expire every Saturday. Eddleman emphasized that she understands the options may be far from perfect.

“It is a step in the right direction ... and responds to the needs that [students] have articulated,” she said.

She pointed out that the current meal plan is not changing for students who are on full scholarship. She pointed out that last week, out of the 653 students who are on the meal plan, about 300 students had not used more than 10 of their meal swipes.

“The general sense seems to be that the plans are adequate for the students’ expectations and their eating habits,” Eddleman said.

Nonetheless, she mentioned that in the future as the student population continues to grow, the administration will consider introducing more meal plan options.

Eddleman said that only one of the two dining halls will be operating next academic year. However, she explained that a change in the academic schedule will address the congestion during lunch hours. Starting next academic year, there will be classes during lunch time.

In cooperation with the Sustainability Committee, ADNH launched a campaign to highlight the weekly plate wastage and raise awareness among the NYUAD community about only taking the amount of food they are going to eat.

“We will monitor data for a couple of weeks and hope to see a decrease in the wastage,” Brereton said.

Results will be shared with the Sustainability Committee and posted in the dining hall.

Brereton also explained the reasons behind the different prices for the same products at different venues across campus.

“If you go to Spinneys you will pay 4 AED for a can Coke, but if you go to a restaurant you will most likely pay 15 AED when you are exactly consuming the same thing. The Library Café is meant to be a restaurant and thus you are paying restaurant prices,” Brereton explained.