Catering - Flexi-Choice
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Catering at D&S College
For 2008, Drummond and Smith College and Duval College instigated a new catering system. This Flexi-Choice system was designed to give our students more choice and freedom when it came to dining, budgeting and meeting specific dietary needs.
Previously, and currently with the other UNE Colleges, students were required to pay for 3 meals a day within their College fees. This meant that students paid for breakfast, lunch and dinner, regardless of whether they ate at College or not. After an extensive amount of research, we realised that on Friday nights a large proportion of our students were eating out, meaning that they paid for dinner twice, once at College and once in town. Many students could not return to college between lectures and missed the lunch that they had already paid for. We understand how important it is for students to budget, thus implemented the new pay-as-you-go system. Now our students only pay for the dinners that they eat here, and they get a discount at UNEs only cafe when they use their D&S College meal card.
We are aware that many students have very specific needs and budgets. In an effort to meet these needs we have implemented Flexi-Choice catering. This system allows students to choose exactly when, and on what, they spend their money. It allows us to provide longer opening hours (most UNE college kitchens are open at meal times only) and allows us to significantly improve food quality and availablility. Now our students can go 'out' for a coffee and a foccacia at their own college dining hall.
About Flexi-choice
- Flexi-choice is a user-pays “meal card” system which allows for greater flexibility in food variety and timing, particularly if you are absent from the College, at lectures or in town.
- Remember that your meal card is comparative to a credit card and should be closely guarded as such. It can be financially increased in the College Office at any time during business hours.
- Your card will allow you also to purchase through the Deli Café in the Union Courtyard of UNE at the same price as you would pay at the College.
- If you forget your card or bring a friend along for a meal, you may use cash to make purchases but your prices will be increased to normal retail prices.
- The balance of funds left on your card can be checked with the staff as you go through the servery or at the meal card computer.
- You can check the records of all your activities and purchases on line on the computer set up just outside the foyer in the main Duval College entrance.
- If you have any major queries about your card or your usage please see someone in the College Office.
- There will be a considerable offering of small goods within the retail section of the Cafe. Monitor your usage carefully so you are aware of both your meal purchases and the other options available throughout the day.
- Note the time of meals in the Food Court when the offerings will provide for the ‘budget busters’ hot food service or the continental breakfasts.
- There is a Food Committee set up for monitoring the Catering Services and the opportunity to make suggestions for any additions or changes to be considered.
- You may write to the Catering Manager if you have recommendations or issues relating to the food service through email on ddsfoodcomments@une.edu.au
- College “Celebratory Dinners” are included in your overall residential fee. This means that you are not required to pay with your meal card for formal dinners.
A Shared dining experience
The best thing about flexi-choice is that our students can eat in either the Drummond and Smith Dining Hall or the Duval Dining Hall. Our students can also invite friends from other colleges to eat with them as they can pay cash. When students' friends or family come to stay they can also take meals in the dining hall. Other UNE colleges cannot offer these benefits as they cannot specifically charge one student for a meal.
Lecturers also attend the dining hall to hold tutorial lunches with their students. Our staff and associates also take meals in the dining hall which encourages our tight-knit and supportive community.
Formal Dinners
Throughout the year Drummond and Smith College holds several formal celebratory dinners. These include awards and scholarship dinners, guest speaker nights and traditional academic dinners. Senior and representative students are often required to wear academic gowns. Formal dinners require a certain standard of dress, usually suits and cocktail dresses or long gowns. These dinners are great fun and a wonderful opportunity to make important UNE contacts. They are also a great excuse to get really dressed up and to celebrate Drummond and Smith College.
Formal dinners are not paid for with Flexi-choice meal cards. These are included in each students' College fees.
2007 Sports Awards Dinner Menu
Nibbles in Courtyard with Champagne
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Satay kebabs, sushi, dim sims, smoked salmon nibbles, mini quiches, fruit
Mains
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Grilled Striploin with Potato Rosti, Steamed Seasonal Vegetables and Seeded Mustard Sauce
Rosemary & Thyme Infused Chicken with Potato Rosti, Steamed Seasonal Vegetables and Lemon Butter Sauce.
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Dessert
Pecan Tart with Mixed Berry Coulis and Cream Chantilly.
Chocolate Mud Cake with Chocolate Fudge Sauce and Cream Chantilly.
Pecan Pie with Double Cream.