“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”
– Doug Larson
Greetings,
One of the many pleasures that makes me proud of being a member of the Department of Dining Services is how we have prepared to meet the dining expectations of the University of Connecticut’s community during this time of constant challenges. Our utmost goal is to provide dining opportunities in our residential and retail operations with minimal risk. Our employees have been trained and are prepared to offer a variety of menu options in a safe fashion while maintaining high levels of sanitation. They are eager to continue to bring you a variety of choices that will keep you sustained knowing how important it is to consume healthy options in order to achieve academic success.
It is imperative this semester that you learn how to navigate the services we are providing. We were not able to open Gelfenbien Dining since the current configuration of the servery is not conducive to COVID-19 requirements. We have made several changes this semester that will help you have additional options as part of your meal plan. Let me begin by stating that the six-foot distancing rule will have a significant impact on how quickly you are able to gain entrance to a dining facility. Once you have entered the dining unit we estimate it will take you six minutes to select from the varied options that our employees will offer you, before exiting the building. But once again, there might be periods of time that you will have to wait in line before entering the facility with sometimes a fifteen to twenty-minute wait so please plan accordingly. On rainy days dress for the weather and maybe even pack an umbrella.
Another way to avoid the lines in the resident facilities is to utilize our retail operations. Your meal plans during this time of restricted dining will allow you to use your points at One Plate Two Plate and at Earth, Wok and Fire. Points can also be used at our Food For Thought food truck. Flex passes are also a topic that comes up frequently. You will also notice that we no longer will operate our Grab & Go’s. That is because the physical locations are not conducive to meeting the COVID- physical requirements. As we make changes to our flex passes we still offer the use of the flex pass for guests but your guests must only be UConn students. Flex passes can no longer be used for external guests and that would include family members. Since Grab and Go’s will not be an available option we have arranged for the cafes to take flex passes with a spending power of $7.00. If your purchase exceeds that then you can pay off the balance with points or a debit/credit card or Husky Bucks.
Your social responsibility is important to make this semester a success. We hope that our efforts of providing you with a variety of nutritious meals will help you to be successful in your academic life and your campus experience this semester. As we are often making changes to our operations I would suggest that you visit our website often and follow our social media platforms to keep up with what is going on at Dining Services.
We always welcome your feedback and ideas. Feel free to contact us via our website and let us know how we are doing. I also ask this semester that you take the time and show your appreciation to our employees for their hard work as they make all aspects of Dining Services possible. They are deserving of a kind word as you show your appreciation for their services.
Enjoy your semester, no one before you has experienced anything like this before. As pioneers in this new frontier, strive to make your experience this semester at the University of Connecticut, the best yet.
Eat well, enjoy life and pursue your dreams.
C. Dennis Pierce
Executive Director of Dining Services