Princeton University will require that students living in the four-year colleges take most of their meals there rather than in the universitys traditional eating clubs&

FM Staff

Dean of the College Nancy Weiss Malkiel recently told students. At most, such resident students might still be allowed eat one or two meals per week at their eating clubs, though details have yet to be determined, according to a report in the Daily Princetonian.

“There is a fundamental principle that all of the people involved in planning have subscribed to: that eating is an integral part of social cohesion,” Malkiel explained.

The expansion and restructuring of the residential colleges was prompted by a decision to increase the undergraduate student body by 500 students by 2012.

Eventually, the four-year colleges will increase interaction among the different classes, students and faculty, Malkiel added. The colleges will house approximately 400 freshmen and sophomores, 100 juniors and seniors and 10 graduate students. Students will decide in the second semester of their sophomore year whether they wish to remain in the residential college system.

A new position, director of residential life, will be created for each college to oversee resident advisors, residential education programs and discipline.

Under the expansion plan, each group of paired colleges will have one dining hall, and administrators promise that food service will be improved in all colleges.

The University is currently trying to recruit two chef masters to plan more "customer-friendly" dining halls in the four-year colleges, says General Facilities Manager Chad Klaus. The current cycle-driven menu system will be eliminated, food quality increased and exhibition-style cooking introduced.

The Rockefeller-Mathey dining facility will be the first one renovated.

The University will also offer new meal plans. Besides the current options, students will be able to choose either 190 or 230 meals per semester, with carryover from week to week.