[823] in UA Senate
The Radical Plan on Dining Leads to MORE Choice
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael E Plasmeier)
Sat Oct 16 14:57:14 2010
Resent-From: ua-senate@MIT.EDU
From: Michael E Plasmeier <theplaz@MIT.EDU>
To: Jessica Chen <jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>,
ec-discuss
<ec-discuss@mit.edu>, Andy Wu <andywu@mit.edu>,
Vrajesh Y Modi
<vrajesh@mit.edu>, Samantha G Wyman <swyman@mit.edu>,
"Nils Molina
(nilsmolina@gmail.com)" <nilsmolina@gmail.com>,
ua-exec <ua-exec@mit.edu>, "baker-forum@mit.edu" <baker-forum@mit.edu>,
"Tom Gearty" <tgearty@mit.edu>, cfs <cfs@mit.edu>,
ua-senate <ua-senate@mit.edu>
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:57:01 -0400
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(Again sorry for spamming, but I think we are having a lively discussion on=
this issue)
The vast majority of people who wrote me trying to preserve the choice of c=
ulture independently of dining were from non-dining dorms. They argued th=
at you should not choose your dorm based on culture - but then they say tha=
t the really hope no dining hall will open in their dorm. THEY BASICALLY S=
AID THEY LIKE THEIR CURRENT DORM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE DINING. And unde=
r my plan and David's plan that stays.
Look freshmen select a dorm based on a variety of factors: culture, facilit=
ies, room type, and, dining options, and cost. P(C, F, D, $, etc) [Prefere=
nce is a function of culture, facilities, dining, cost etc] Each student's =
preference function is different. Yes cost is important. So far it has be=
en more or less the same, so cost has not been an issue for the vast majori=
ty of freshmen. But cost is about to become a far bigger variable. My pla=
n says is that if one variable changes then we should allow students to rer=
un their preference function. Perhaps that would result in no change for t=
hem (since dining option and/or $$$ is not important to them) . Perhaps wh=
en the student reruns their personal preference function it would lead to a=
change in where they want to live. Lots of students said that at the Emer=
gency UA Senate meeting they would want to move out under the HDAG plan bec=
ause of cost. THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO! Right? If so many =
people want to move out of hot breakfast and dining $3,800/year than less b=
eds should be available under that option on campus.
Look, all this choice in dining is expensive. MIT cannot offer every optio=
n to everybody everywhere at a price people are willing to pay. The vast m=
ajority of people I talk to in Baker say that they don't want all that choi=
ce at that ($3,800) price. It is also ironic that that vast majority of pe=
ople defending the "choice" of the dining hall forms live in dorms without =
dining halls. The 305 freshmen who listed Baker as their top choice in my =
year chose Baker because they either wanted the dinning under the current a=
rrangements or the $600/year was an acceptable tradeoff. What my plan does=
is let them rerun their preference function and make a new choice based on=
the new plan. Their choice according to their preference function. EACH =
STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL PREFERENCE FUNCTON. Whose job is it=
to say that dining service level or cost should not go in anybody's dorm p=
reference function!!!!! This is the EC argument. Sure we would prefer tha=
t cost or dining service not be an issue. But the constraint is that we ca=
nnot have dining service choice (inside each dorm) and no associated cost. =
Look some people want to pay $3800 for all the hot breakfast and dinner th=
ey can eat. Some say no thank you. Give students a choice. Each student=
should be allowed to weight the dorms with the factors of their choosing a=
nd if a factor changes they should be allowed (not forced, however) to move=
out.
My plan leads to more choice. More choice than now. Far more choice than =
HDAG's plan.
Thank you very much
-Michael Plasmeier
(David's plan goes a step further and signs you up for your desired dining =
plan, which may be at another dorm. In exchange, it allows current student=
s to stay in their current dorm at the dining level they desire, which coul=
d be less than what the dorm offers.) Under my plan if you choose to stay =
at your current dorm you must accept the dining level that the minimizes th=
e number of people who would have to move on campus - likely the majority v=
iew of people in your dorm. See previous email about how costs can only be=
met through a pre-paid plan.
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vli=
nk=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal>(Again sorry for=
spamming, but I think we are having a lively discussion on this issue)<o:p=
></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>T=
he vast majority of people who wrote me trying to preserve the choice of cu=
lture independently of dining were from non-dining dorms. They =
argued that you should not choose your dorm based on culture – but th=
en they say that the really hope no dining hall will open in their dorm.&nb=
sp; THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY LIKE THEIR CURRENT DORM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HA=
VE DINING. And under my plan and David’s plan that stays. =
<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D=
MsoNormal>Look freshmen select a dorm based on a variety of factors: cultur=
e, facilities, room type, and, dining options, and cost. P(C, F, D, $=
, etc) [Preference is a function of culture, facilities, dining, cost etc] =
Each student’s preference function is different. Yes cost is im=
portant. So far it has been more or less the same, so cost has not be=
en an issue for the vast majority of freshmen. But cost is about to b=
ecome a far bigger variable. My plan says is that if one variable cha=
nges then we should <u>allow</u> students to rerun their preference functio=
n. Perhaps that would result in no change for them (since dining opti=
on and/or $$$ is not important to them) . Perhaps when the student re=
runs their personal preference function it would lead to a change in where =
they want to live. Lots of students said that at the Emergency UA Sen=
ate meeting they would want to move out under the HDAG plan because of cost=
. THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO! Right? If so ma=
ny people want to move out of hot breakfast and dining $3,800/year than les=
s beds should be available under that option on campus.<o:p></o:p></p><p cl=
ass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Look, all this ch=
oice in dining is expensive. MIT cannot offer every option to everybo=
dy everywhere at a price people are willing to pay. The vast majority=
of people I talk to in Baker say that they don’t want all that choic=
e at that ($3,800) price. It is also ironic that that vast majority o=
f people defending the “choice” of the dining hall forms live i=
n dorms without dining halls. The 305 freshmen who listed Baker as th=
eir top choice in my year chose Baker because they either wanted the dinnin=
g under the current arrangements or the $600/year was an acceptable tradeof=
f. What my plan does is let them rerun their preference function and =
make a new choice based on the new plan. Their choice according to th=
eir preference function. EACH STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL =
PREFERENCE FUNCTON. <b><u><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Whose job =
is it to say that dining service level or cost should not go in anybodyR=
17;s dorm preference function!!!!!</span></u></b> This is the EC argu=
ment. Sure we would prefer that cost or dining service not be an issu=
e. But the constraint is that we cannot have dining service choice (i=
nside each dorm) and no associated cost.<b> Look some people want to =
pay $3800 for all the hot breakfast and dinner they can eat. Some say=
no thank you. Give students a choice. Each student shoul=
d be allowed to weight the dorms with the factors of their choosing and if =
a factor changes they should be allowed (not forced, however) to move out.<=
o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=
=3DMsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><b>My plan le=
ads to more choice. More choice than now. Far more choice than =
HDAG’s plan.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><o:p> </o=
:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><b>Thank you very much<o:p></o:p></b></p><p=
class=3DMsoNormal><b>-Michael Plasmeier<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNo=
rmal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>(David’s plan g=
oes a step further and signs you up for your desired dining plan, which may=
be at another dorm. In exchange, it allows current students to stay =
in their current dorm at the dining level they desire, which could be less =
than what the dorm offers.) Under my plan if you choose to stay at yo=
ur current dorm you must accept the dining level <b>that the minimizes the =
number of people who would have to move on campus – likely the majori=
ty view of people in your dorm. </b>See previous email about how cost=
s can only be met through a pre-paid plan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNorm=
al><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b=
></p></div></body></html>=
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