OU Housing and Food Services readjusted the meal exchange program in response to students' complaints that the program was too restrictive, said David Annis, food services director.

"We tried to adjust to what the students told us," Annis said. "We tightened down on the freedom of the program, but we tightened down too much."

Starting last Monday, students can order what they want adding up to $5.50 as an exchange and are limited to two drinks or packaged items per exchange, Annis wrote in last Friday's edition of Kitchen Comments.

Annis said Housing and Food Services tried to redefine what a meal exchange was at the beginning of this semester because of problems at the end of fall semester.

"Because of the new block plan, we had more meals available to students and they, in turn, were wanting to use more of them for meal exchanges," Annis said. "We were not able to provide the quantity of packaged goods that people were requesting."

Annis said operations like Crossroads Restaurant in Oklahoma Memorial Union do not have the storage or staffing available to take large orders of a specific item like bottled water.

"A meal exchange was intended to allow a chance to eat a complete meal when they couldn't make it to Couch Cafeteria, not order two cases of water," Annis said.

Sarah Croley, University College freshman, said she used to buy a bunch of water with her meal exchange.

"I think you should be allowed to buy as much food as you want to for $5.50," Croley said. "If they restrict it at Crossroads, they should allow meal exchange at the C-Store."

Theresa Bach, University College freshman, said she thinks the program readjustment is good because there is not always time to go back to the cafeteria for a meal.

"After first semester, people were scrambling to buy as many pizzas as they could," Bach said. "They had so many meals left because they did not understand how the program worked."

Phillip Laizure, full-time supervisor at Crossroads, said they had to explain the adjustments to a few students.

"They have been pretty accepting of it, they just didn't like the timing of it," Laizure said.

Todd Mahaffey, mechanical engineering junior, said he uses the meal exchange program every day. He said it is easier to get a little more of what you want now that the program has been readjusted.

"A lot of my friends got angry the first time they changed it," Mahaffey said. "It's just food, I'm not that particular about it."

Annis said Housing and Food Services prefer that students use their meals in the cafeteria because there could come a time when the budget cannot support these additional costs.

"It costs us money every time a meal is eaten at the union. The meal exchange will be offered as long as the Housing and Food Services budget can support it," Annis said. "We understand the chaos of everyday life, however, and the need for some flexibility."
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