The University Affairs Committee will meet today to discuss a carryout tray act that will reduce the overcrowding in the dining halls.

Jennifer Gilmore, communications director for Dining, said there have been more requests for University Dining to develop a takeout program for the dining halls this year.

The dramatic increase of students on meal plans, which reached up to 8,100 students this fall, could possibly be why students are requesting takeout trays, she said.

“This dramatic spike has put pressure on our dining halls to accommodate students adequately, particularly at peak meal time,” Gilmore said. “As such, it’s been the first time we’ve actually had to consider offering takeout to ease the pressure.”

Gilmore said ECU instituted takeout 10 years ago because they hit max capacity and needed to ease overcrowding. However, their dining halls are not open all day. They open specifically for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and their equivalency rates are lower than the University’s.

“We, too, are facing the same situation,” Gilmore said. “We have long-term plans to ease overcrowding with new and better facilities, but we are also looking into solutions that can help students now. Takeout is a viable option, and we are currently exploring ways to institute a procedure that is well planned and sustainable.”

Gilmore said takeout is a good idea for customers as long as the same meal that would have been eaten inside is taken out.

“For many people, this is exactly what they would do,” Gilmore said. “But it is also human nature to want to maximize a benefit, which can lead to various abuses of the takeout service that create significant cost increases that must be borne by all customers in the end.”

Zach Leavitt, junior in mechanical engineering, said if the dining halls had takeout trays, it would reduce crowding, especially in Clark Dining Hall.

“It would also benefit those who snack late. You could have a late class and might not be able to eat in the dining halls, so if you can’t eat the meal now, you can eat it later,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt said that the students might take advantage of the takeout tray option.

“They might pour a huge amount of food onto their takeout box and it might increase the cost of running a dining hall,” Leavitt said.

Carla Stutter, freshman in First Year College, said students already pay a large amount for meals.

“We should be able to have the takeout boxes available as an option for students,” Stutter said.

Stutter also said the takeout boxes wouldn’t interfere with the scheduling of students.

“They would no longer have to eat at the dining halls,” Stutter said.

“Less people would have to sit in the dining halls and reduce crowding.”

Kenny Rodriguez, sophomore in biology, said she thinks it would benefit students because they would take their food to go.

“Now you can’t really go in the dining halls and grab something to go,”

Rodriquez said.  “You wouldn’t feel obligated to sit there and eat your food. Instead, you would just take it if you are in a hurry.”

Rodriguez said students who are usually in a rush could go to Talley to grab a quick snack or meal.

“It would be helpful if students were able to go to a dining hall and get food to go as they do in Talley,” Rodriguez said.

Taylor Fitzpatrick, a freshman in general agriculture, said as long as students are getting their food once and not coming back for a second meal with the tray, then the dining halls should have an option for carryout trays.

Fitzpatrick also said students who don’t want to eat in the dining halls or eat by themselves can just use the takeout box and eat wherever they want.

“The takeout option gives students more varieties of foods other than the fast food options at Taco Bell and Chick-Fil-A,” Fitzpatrick said. “Instead students will be able to go back to their dorms and eat there.”

University Dining promised the University Affairs Committee to have a plan for takeout, and a decision of whether or not to implement that plan by the end of the fall semester, according to Gilmore.

According to Gilmore, University Dining is working on a plan for takeout that addresses all of these concerns, then it will determine if the idea is viable for this year.