Dramatically rising food prices nationwide have had little effect on Brandeis Dining Services, Director of Dining Services Michael Newmark wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.Prices for food at Brandeis have only slightly increased, in line with previous years, he explained.

An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education in May noted that growth in food prices outpaced inflation from 2006 to 2007, a phenomenon intensified by higher costs for food transportation due to the rise in gas prices.

"Despite various economic challenges, Dining Services continues to extend services, options and hours throughout dining operations," Newmark wrote. "Quiznos is a new add on venue bringing our hours of operation to just shy of 600 per week . up from last year."

According to the article from the Chronicle, some schools have responded to the increased cost of food by offering smaller food portions, while schools like Ohio University upgraded their menus and now charges more for meals in order to increase revenue. Universities have also begun preparing many meals at the university instead of purchasing premade products.

Like Brandeis, other universities have cut down tray usage in the dining halls to promote environmental sustainability and reduce waste. Newmark wrote that no employees have been dismissed from University Dining Services.

At the Sept. 2 Senate Meeting, Senator-at-Large Justin Sulsky '09 said he was concerned about layoffs at Sherman dining hall but declined to comment further on his remarks.

"We have actually added positions throughout dining," Newmark wrote in his e-mail.

Newmark also explained two changes to the Brandeis meal plans starting this month. All students can now pay for meals using "Dining Dollars," which they can add to their accounts online with their credit cards through the Brandeis Dining Web site. In contrast to WhoCash, only on-campus dining locations accept Dining Dollars.

The additional payment method is the result of many requests by students in recent years for a more convenient option to pay for food, he wrote. Newmark added that students not required to have a meal plan can sign up for a voluntary plan, the Wise Meal Plan, which offers meals and Dining Dollars.

Former Senator for the Class of 2010 Jenna Brofsky, a member of the University Dining Committee last year, said there were "constantly complaints about dining prices being too high. [Students have continually brought up] the issue with dining administrators and will continue to do so," she said.

"I feel like [prices] have increased, and the sushi is really expensive, and so is the seaweed salad," Dror Weiss '09 said outside of Usdan. "It costs $10, and you probably wouldn't even count it as a snack."

"I think Sherman is more expensive than Usdan; I usually come to Usdan," Aina Rysbayeva (GRAD) said.

First-year students seemed to find dining prices reasonable. "I think they are pretty good," Rachel Salston '12 said. "They're at times a little hard to balance, and [it can be hard] to figure out what to use a meal for and when to use points."

"I usually get whatever I want to eat for a relatively fair price," Seth Grande '12 said.

Brofsky also pointed out that meal equivalencies at Usdan have gone up this year. "Sushi is, like, $ 6.99 and a meal is seven and change, so you would be able to get a roll of sushi for the meal," she explained. "The Dining Dollars sound like a very good deal," Brofsky said, referring to the meal plan changes. "If you give $100 you get $110," she added. "It sounds like something I would potentially be interested in if I wasn't on a meal plan."

This year the meal equivalencies at Usdan are $4.40 for breakfast, $7.10 for lunch and $8 for dinner.

Editor's note: Jenna Brofsky is a Justice contributing writer.