Following a months-long effort from the Graduate Student Government (GSG) to increase the number of free meals for students, graduate students without a meal plan will receive 12 complimentary meals this semester to be used at Procter Hall, the Graduate School dining hall. The pilot, led in partnership with the Graduate School, Campus Dining, and the Office of the Vice President for Campus Life, doubles the number of free meals previously offered.
“I’m very happy because if it weren’t for the 12 free meals, I probably wouldn’t come to the Graduate College,” Agustín Barboza GS told The Daily Princetonian. “I think it’s a great way to come back and see people from other departments.”
Other students shared similar views, noting that the pilot has enriched the dining experience by helping foster a greater sense of community.
“Having more free meals is always a step in the right direction,” Kira Mitchel GS wrote in an email to the ‘Prince.’ “I think students appreciate being able to use dining at Procter as a place to gather and connect over meals.”
Anna Konvicka GS, who lives off campus and does not have a meal plan, voiced concerns about the increasing cost of groceries. “Things are expensive now in general, and so the affordability of food is a big issue,” she said. “I think that the meal program is really great; because of the affordability issue, free food is amazing.”
“[The meal plan] was the main reason why I chose to live off campus,” Aidan Lozano GS added.
Lozano “did not want to spend that much money” on food in dining halls, but explained that the new pilot program provided him with an opportunity to eat and connect with others. “You should see me every Sunday [at the Graduate College], making sure I get good use of it,” he said.
Since the pilot began, GSG reported preliminary attendance figures of approximately 200 students at dinner and 600 at Sunday brunch on average. Christopher Catalano GS, the GSG vice president, estimates this represents “at least a 33 percent increase” from previous usage of Procter Hall. The Graduate Dining Advisory Board is expected to release official statistics in early November.
The pilot’s popularity, however, has raised concerns about overcrowding in Procter Hall, particularly during Sunday brunch.
When the ‘Prince’ visited the dining hall during brunch at 11:09 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, a line of over 80 students waiting to enter the hall spilled into the common room area and extended into the lobby. The line did not visibly shorten over the course of 30 minutes.
“I personally avoid brunch for this reason,” Aaron Bourque GS, who sits on the Graduate Student Dining Advisory Board, said. “I personally found it pretty crowded even before the swipes were extended, and from what I hear now, it’s become very crowded.”
Overcrowding during peak meal times is a key reason why students hope to see the program expanded to additional dining spaces. As an alternative solution, one person suggested expanding meal hours. Currently, Procter Hall is closed on Fridays and Saturdays and only operates dinner service from Monday to Thursday.
“I think it would be better if they also have brunch on Saturday, because right now it’s only brunch on Sunday — I think that would be a solution,” Barboza said.
Konvicka, who has not attended a brunch this year, pointed to the accessibility of the dining hall as “the limiting factor.”
“As much as it’s nice that we have more meal credits, they don’t really make a practical effect or practical difference in my life,” she said. The “only scenario” in which Konvicka sees herself using more of her free swipes is “if the program were expanded to different locations on campus.”
“Ultimately, it would be great if the free meals were not limited to Procter,” Mitchel added. “Procter is not open for lunch and is about a 10-minute walk from campus, so it is not terribly convenient for students who don’t live there.” Mitchel also proposed expanding the option of free meals to other dining halls.
It remains uncertain whether the pilot will officially transition into a full program for the Spring 2025 semester, though GSG has expressed a desire to build upon the pilot.
“It’s a small change, but overall, it’s already doing a lot in increasing overall happiness within graduate students,” Bourque said. “A small change I’d like to see would be increasing that accessibility a little bit more.”
Sena Chang is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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