[824] in UA Senate
Re: The Radical Plan on Dining Leads to MORE Choice
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Vincent P Le)
Sat Oct 16 19:18:51 2010
Resent-From: ua-senate@MIT.EDU
From: Vincent P Le <vple@MIT.EDU>
To: Michael E Plasmeier <theplaz@mit.edu>
CC: 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 19:18:36 -0400
In-Reply-To: <60826A506BCDE447B39C85C1496EAB74018B11054D@EXPO7.exchange.mit.edu>
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Your plan sounds absolutely wonderful! But I'm really confused about some t=
hings. Can you explain them to me?
First, I really really want to live in a dorm with a dining plan, maybe Bak=
er. My parents and I agreed that I would pay for everything except for tuit=
ion, and I'm already working three jobs. If I can't earn another $3800, doe=
s that mean I can't live in Baker? I also have friends at Next, does that m=
ean I can't live there either?
Let's pretend I somehow find a way to get the $3800. So your plan will let =
me move into Baker, Next, or Simmons. But isn't there a waitlist to switch =
into another dorm? I'd feel really bad skipping over all those people!
And what about everyone who will move into a non-dining dorm? Won't the non=
-dining dorms become crowded? Oh, but I guess whichever dorm I switch into =
will be less crowded, right? So if I earn enough money to pay for the new m=
eal plan, I'll also get a less crowded room?
There's one more thing, and this one's really important to me. Even though =
I really want to have a dining plan, I also really want to like the people =
I live with, and I want my dorm to be awesome! What if I move to a dining d=
orm but I really don't fit along with the people there? Or maybe, what if I=
like everyone at my new dorm, but everyone on my floor is new and we have =
no traditions of culture?
And I wouldn't want all the non-dining dorms' culture to be affected either=
! What if everyone switching into a non-dining dorm isn't willing to contri=
bute towards that dorm's culture? For example, what if all the people movin=
g into EC aren't the kind of people who would help build their roller coast=
er? There's no way I could live at EC, but I've gotta admit that thing is f=
reakin awesome.
Sorry that I have so many questions, I'm just really confused about your pl=
an. Thanks!
Vincent
On Oct 16, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Michael E Plasmeier theplaz@mit.edu<mailto:the=
plaz@mit.edu> wrote:
(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 =96 but then they say t=
hat the really hope no dining hall will open in their dorm. THEY BASICALLY=
SAID THEY LIKE THEIR CURRENT DORM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE DINING. And un=
der my plan and David=92s 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=92=
s preference function is different. Yes cost is important. So far it has =
been more or less the same, so cost has not been an issue for the vast majo=
rity of freshmen. But cost is about to become a far bigger variable. My p=
lan says is that if one variable changes then we should allow students to r=
erun their preference function. Perhaps that would result in no change for=
them (since dining option and/or $$$ is not important to them) . Perhaps =
when 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 Em=
ergency UA Senate meeting they would want to move out under the HDAG plan b=
ecause of cost. THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO! Right? If so man=
y people want to move out of hot breakfast and dining $3,800/year than less=
beds 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=92t want all that ch=
oice at that ($3,800) price. It is also ironic that that vast majority of =
people defending the =93choice=94 of the dining hall forms live in dorms wi=
thout 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 cur=
rent arrangements or the $600/year was an acceptable tradeoff. What my pla=
n does is let them rerun their preference function and make a new choice ba=
sed 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=92s=
dorm preference function!!!!! This is the EC argument. Sure we would pre=
fer that cost or dining service not be an issue. But the constraint is tha=
t we cannot have dining service choice (inside each dorm) and no associated=
cost. Look some people want to pay $3800 for all the hot breakfast and di=
nner they 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 cho=
osing and 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=92s plan.
Thank you very much
-Michael Plasmeier
(David=92s plan goes a step further and signs you up for your desired dinin=
g plan, which may be at another dorm. In exchange, it allows current stude=
nts to stay in their current dorm at the dining level they desire, which co=
uld be less than what the dorm offers.) Under my plan if you choose to sta=
y at your current dorm you must accept the dining level that the minimizes =
the number of people who would have to move on campus =96 likely the majori=
ty view of people in your dorm. See previous email about how costs can onl=
y be met through a pre-paid plan.
--_000_10043876F84645E1A1A42A1225833C5Amitedu_
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<html><head><base href=3D"x-msg://1515/"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: b=
reak-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;=
">Your plan sounds absolutely wonderful! But I'm really confused about som=
e things. Can you explain them to me?<br><br>First, I really really want to=
live in a dorm with a dining plan, maybe Baker. My parents and I agreed th=
at I would pay for everything except for tuition, and I'm already working t=
hree jobs. If I can't earn another $3800, does that mean I can't live in Ba=
ker? I also have friends at Next, does that mean I can't live there either?=
<br><br>Let's pretend I somehow find a way to get the $3800. So your plan w=
ill let me move into Baker, Next, or Simmons. But isn't there a waitlist to=
switch into another dorm? I'd feel really bad skipping over all those peop=
le! <br><br>And what about everyone who will move into a non-dining do=
rm? Won't the non-dining dorms become crowded? Oh, but I guess whichever do=
rm I switch into will be less crowded, right? So if I earn enough money to =
pay for the new meal plan, I'll also get a less crowded room?<br><br>There'=
s one more thing, and this one's really important to me. Even though I real=
ly want to have a dining plan, I also really want to like the people I live=
with, and I want my dorm to be awesome! What if I move to a dining dorm bu=
t I really don't fit along with the people there? Or maybe, what if I like =
everyone at my new dorm, but everyone on my floor is new and we have no tra=
ditions of culture? <br>And I wouldn't want all the non-dining dorms' =
culture to be affected either! What if everyone switching into a non-dining=
dorm isn't willing to contribute towards that dorm's culture? For example,=
what if all the people moving into EC aren't the kind of people who would =
help build their roller coaster? There's no way I could live at EC, but I'v=
e gotta admit that thing is freakin awesome.<br><br><br>Sorry that I have s=
o many questions, I'm just really confused about your plan. Thanks!<br>Vinc=
ent<div><br><div><div>On Oct 16, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Michael E Plasmeier <a h=
ref=3D"mailto:theplaz@mit.edu">theplaz@mit.edu</a> wrote:</div><br class=3D=
"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><span class=3D"Apple-=
style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; fon=
t-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing:=
normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform:=
none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-ho=
rizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-d=
ecorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-st=
roke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div lang=3D"EN-US" link=3D"blue" vli=
nk=3D"purple"><div class=3D"WordSection1" style=3D"page: WordSection1; "><d=
iv style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ma=
rgin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">(Again=
sorry for spamming, but I think we are having a lively discussion on this =
issue)<o:p></o:p></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; ma=
rgin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Cali=
bri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; ma=
rgin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt=
; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">The vast majority of people who wrote=
me trying to preserve the choice of culture independently of dining were f=
rom non-dining dorms. They argued that you should not choose yo=
ur dorm based on culture =96 but then they say that the really hope no dini=
ng hall will open in their dorm. THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY LIKE THEIR =
CURRENT DORM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE DINING. And under my plan and D=
avid=92s plan that stays. <o:p></o:p></div><div style=3D"margin=
-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; fo=
nt-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><=
div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; m=
argin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Look =
freshmen select a dorm based on a variety of factors: culture, facilities, =
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=92=
s preference function is different. Yes cost is important. So f=
ar it has been more or less the same, so cost has not been an issue for the=
vast majority of freshmen. But cost is about to become a far bigger =
variable. My plan says is that if one variable changes then we should=
<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </span><u>allow</u><span class=
=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </span>students to rerun their preference =
function. Perhaps that would result in no change for them (since dini=
ng option and/or $$$ is not important to them) . Perhaps when the stu=
dent reruns 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 Senate meeting they would want to move out under the HDAG plan because =
of cost. THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO! Right? I=
f so many people want to move out of hot breakfast and dining $3,800/year t=
han less beds should be available under that option on campus.<o:p></o:p></=
div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001=
pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">=
<o:p> </o:p></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; ma=
rgin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Cali=
bri, sans-serif; ">Look, all this choice in dining is expensive. MIT =
cannot offer every option to everybody everywhere at a price people are wil=
ling to pay. The vast majority of people I talk to in Baker say that =
they don=92t want all that choice at that ($3,800) price. It is also =
ironic that that vast majority of people defending the =93choice=94 of the =
dining hall forms live in dorms without dining halls. The 305 freshme=
n who listed Baker as their top choice in my year chose Baker because they =
either wanted the dinning under the current arrangements or the $600/year w=
as an acceptable tradeoff. What my plan does is let them rerun their =
preference function and make a new choice based on the new plan. Thei=
r choice according to their preference function. EACH STUDENT SHOULD =
HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL PREFERENCE FUNCTON. <b><u><span style=3D"font-=
size: 14pt; ">Whose job is it to say that dining service level or cost shou=
ld not go in anybody=92s dorm preference function!!!!!</span></u></b> =
This is the EC argument. Sure we would prefer that cost or dining se=
rvice not be an issue. But the constraint is that we cannot have dini=
ng service choice (inside 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 should be allowed to weight the dorms with the factors of th=
eir choosing and if a factor changes they should be allowed (not forced, ho=
wever) to move out.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; marg=
in-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; =
font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b><o:p> </o:p></b></div><div styl=
e=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-le=
ft: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b><o:p> =
;</o:p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-b=
ottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, s=
ans-serif; "><b>My plan leads to more choice. More choice than now.&n=
bsp; Far more choice than HDAG=92s plan.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div style=3D"=
margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0=
in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b><o:p> </o:=
p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom=
: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-s=
erif; "><b>Thank you very much<o:p></o:p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top=
: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-s=
ize: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b>-Michael Plasmeier<o:p></=
o:p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bott=
om: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans=
-serif; "><b><o:p> </o:p></b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; marg=
in-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; =
font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">(David=92s plan goes a step further and=
signs you up for your desired dining plan, which may be at another dorm.&n=
bsp; 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 off=
ers.) Under my plan if you choose to stay at your current dorm you mu=
st accept the dining level<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </spa=
n><b>that the minimizes the number of people who would have to move on camp=
us =96 likely the majority view of people in your dorm. <span class=3D=
"Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>See previous email about how costs=
can only be met through a pre-paid plan.<o:p></o:p></div><div style=3D"mar=
gin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in;=
font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b><o:p> </o:p><=
/b></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0=
.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-seri=
f; "><b><o:p> </o:p></b></div></div></div></span></blockquote></div><b=
r></div></body></html>=
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