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Something for Every Appetite

Dining at NVU’s Johnson Campus During COVID-19

Sodexo and NVU have made some changes to the dining experience on our campuses to promote the health and safety of our community during COVID-19. Be sure to read through Sodexo’s “NVU Dining—What to Expect.” And, register for BITE, Sodexo’s mobile app. Be sure to review Sodexo’s slide deck to help you understand the specifics about dining at the Johnson campus during COVID-19.

Whether you want grab lunch with friends at the Stearns Dining Hall or get a chai latte at our Common Grounds Cafe on your way to a club meeting, you’ll find options to satisfy your hunger on campus.

Stearns Dining Hall

The campus dining hall serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week and accepts meal plans and cash. Every meal includes vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a range of healthy and delicious cuisines from around the world, a salad bar stocked with fresh vegetables and fruits, many of them locally sourced. Our wood-fired pizza oven is a campus favorite, as well.

Common Grounds Cafe

Enjoy freshly brewed coffee, a wide variety of teas, as well as specialty drinks and cold beverages in this light-filled, convenient coffee shop on the top floor of Stearns Student Center. Sit down and relax at the counter while taking in the activity on the Quad, or grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich and head off to class.

Allergies and Food Sensitivities

Today’s students may come to college with significant food allergies and sensitivities. The university dining services offers students dining choices to accommodate their needs.  We encourage you or your student to contact the director of dining services by calling 802.635.1237 or by contacting the food service director via email at Thomas.Fondakowski@sodexo.com to discuss your specific concerns so that we can make sure we have a plan that meets your needs.

Meal Plans

Residential students are required to enroll in a meal plan each semester. Students have meal plan options to choose from and are encouraged to select a plan that most closely matches their dining preferences. Students participating in a long-term off-campus internship or who work several days a week off-campus should consider a meal plan with fewer meals per week. All residential meal plans include three guest meals per semester and declining balance points. All unused declining balance dollars will carry over from the fall to the spring semester but will expire at the end of the spring semester.

Commuter Meal Plans

Commuting students are encouraged to purchase a meal plan if they plan to be on campus during meal periods. Commuter meal plans are offered in “meal blocks” or groups of 25, 50 or 75 meals with or without points. For additional information on commuter meal plans please contact the dining services office at 802.635.1237.

Accessing Meal Plans

Students access their meal plan using their student ID card. It is important to note that the meal plans are not transferable and that students are allowed to use only their student ID for a transaction. Misuse of meal plans by students may result in loss of meal plan privileges and could result in further disciplinary action. For access control reasons students must have a current, valid student ID to access their meal plan. If the ID is lost or stolen this loss should be reported immediately to Public Safety. The student will be issued a new Student ID. A charge of $35 will be assessed for a replacement card. In cases of a lost ID card, students can redeem a “temp ID” that will be accepted at the dining hall for up to one week and then the card needs to be replaced and brought to Dining Services so meal plans can be transferred to the new ID card. Dining Services offers promotional discounts for students with meal plans to add points to their card. You can call Dining Services directly at 802.635.1237. Promotional discounts are for meal plan patrons only.

Late-Night Fix

The dining hall is also open each evening from 9 p.m. – midnight  for students to grab their pub food favorites, a healthy salad, or the late night special of the day. Payment for food items can be made with declining balance points, cash, or credit card.

FAQ

Are students allowed to change their meal plan?

During the first two weeks of the semester students may change their meal plan. All residential students are automatically enrolled in the Unlimited Meal Plan. Students should think carefully about their class schedule and their dining preferences before enrolling in a different plan.

Can I add more points to my meal plan?

Yes, additional points can be added at any point in the semester. We encourage you to check your balance frequently to see if more points  should be added. Additional purchases of points for on-campus students receive a 10% bonus. Additional purchases of points for off-campus students receive a 5% bonus.

What happens to points at the end of the semester?

Unused points at the end of the fall semester are automatically rolled to the spring semester and your student can use these points throughout the spring. Unused points at the end of the spring semester are not refundable and cannot be transferred to the next academic year. We encourage you to check your balance frequently at the end of the spring semester and to use any remaining funds on items from the Common Grounds Café.

Do unused meals from the meal plans carry over to the next week?

Unused meals from the 12 and 150 Block meal plans do not carry over to the next week. For the best value, students are encouraged to consume all of their meals during the current week. Students should think carefully before selecting their meal plans.


Do unused meals from the 8 Meal Plan carry over to the next semester?

Unused meals from the 8 Meal Plan do not carry over to the next semester. For the best value students are encouraged to consume all of their meals during the current semester.

Visit NVU-Johnson Sodexo Website for menus, information about meal plans, nutrition information and more.

Questions?

NVU Johnson Dining Services

Manager Thomas Fondakowski

802.635.1237 | Thomas.Fondakowski@sodexo.com