Dear GW Student:

As the end of summer approaches you’re likely to be preparing for Fall Move-In and the start of the fall semester. There are a number of important enhancements to the university’s campus dining program that have been implemented for the 2011/2012 academic year. In addition to the information below, you can check everything out at GWCampusDining.com, follow us on Twitter @GWCampusDining and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gwdining!

GW Campus Dining is dedicated to understanding and meeting the dining needs of The George Washington University community. During the past several months, with direct input from student representatives from the Dining Services Commission and the Student Association, as well as student feedback from the March 2011 GW Campus Dining Services Survey, we’ve partnered with Sodexo Campus Services to make many improvements to GW Campus Dining. We are excited for you to experience the new dining options that offer freshness and variety with the convenience, value and flexibility that you desire. These changes include:

• More nutritionally balanced dining options
• Improvement of the overall value and variety of food offerings
• New weekend and late night hours
• Elimination of the Campus Dining Dollars requirement for sophomores
  (Campus Dining Dollars were previously known as Sodexo Dollars, which can be spent at all 10 Sodexo venues located in the Marvin Center, Duques Hall and Pelham Commons at the Mount Vernon Campus.)

More Balanced Options: Your Health Your Way™

In J Street at Foggy Bottom and Pelham Commons at Mount Vernon, nutritionally balanced options will be provided and identified in the venues as Your Health Your Way (YHYW)™ choices. The YHYW™ options will meet the following dietary guidelines. Visit yourhealthyourwayonline.com for more details!

In addition to the implementation of these more nutritionally balanced options, returning students will notice new venues have replaced outgoing concepts. WOW, on the 5th floor of the Marvin Center, has closed, and we are sure you will find the new Metro Diner’s expanded hours and wide variety a great new addition! We are offering new concepts that will feature more made-to-order, nutritionally balanced (YHYW™), and flavorful choices for the GW community in place of Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A.

J Street + GWorld = the best value in DC! – Use GWorld to pay, and you’ll save 10% over all DC restaurants because in J Street, G-Dub Java, and Pelham Commons payment with GWorld (Campus Dining Dollars and Colonial Cash) is DC sales tax free! GW Campus Dining is also committed to offering competitively priced options providing GW students a better value.

The Metro Diner – In the space formerly occupied by J Street Café, the Metro Diner is a new, uniquely GW venue, featuring a made-to-order grill and breakfast all-day! Open until midnight, 7 days a week.

The Coffee Stop – Adjacent to the Metro Diner, The Coffee Stop will feature Seattle’s Best Coffee and Espresso drinks, as well as grab & go breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, pastries, and snacks.

Nosh Kosher Deli – Nosh is a true NY style deli that just happens to be strictly kosher! To ensure kosher standards, Nosh will be under the supervision of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Washington. With a selection of hand-crafted sandwiches, salads, and “Nosh-able” snacks such as bagels and desserts, Nosh Kosher Deli will provide plenty of hot and cold options to meet every appetite.

Freshen’s Smoothies & Yogurt – Starting this fall, Freshen’s will offer the popular tangy style yogurt with 14 choices of toppings. Freshen’s will also offer a variety of fresh fruit smoothies, indulgent shakes, and a selection of nourishing snacks to go.

Pesto – J Street’s reinvigorated Italian venue, Pesto, will meet your Italian cuisine cravings! Pesto offers a variety of favorites such as brick oven calzones and pizzas. At Pesto you will have the opportunity to individualize your meal at the made-to-order pasta station, featuring a selection of sauces, fresh veggies, and proteins, as well as gluten-friendly pasta. Come in often, and make sure to try a delicious Pizzarito.

Simply-to-Go – Featuring grab & go breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks, bottled beverages and F’Real Milkshakes and Smoothies. Gluten-friendly, kosher and fair trade products are also available. Don’t forget to pick up a cup of freshly prepared oatmeal or grits at breakfast or soup, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-friendly choices, during lunch and dinner. Many YHYW™ choices, too.

Greenfields – In the heart of J Street (returning Colonials-where the staircase and monument once stood!) you’ll find a plethora of customizable options at our salad and make your own sandwich bars. Greenfields will also feature a monthly rotating international self-serve hot food bar, starting this fall with Mediterranean cuisine, a GW favorite! In Greenfields, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-friendly, and YHYW™ choices will be easy to find and hard to resist.

Thyme – New home of the Buff Blue Plate Special, Thyme will feature variety and flavor with comfort foods from “home.” With rotating options at lunch and dinner, Thyme will also feature a daily YHYW™ option, to make eating right tastier and easier than ever before.

Bamboo – Fresh hand-rolled sushi and a rotating culinary journey through Asia, featuring authentic cuisine, such as Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and other tempting options! Look for value-priced “bento-box” meal options that can be shared or savored on your own.

Colonial Traditions: Back and Better than Ever!

Duques Hall: G-Dub Java – Grab & go breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, also featuring Wasabi sushi meals, as well as hot and cold coffee beverages.

Mount Vernon Campus: Pelham Commons at West Hall – Offers a made-to-order grill, soups, salad bar, sandwich fixings, hot entrees, grab & go options, hot and cold coffee beverages as well as an all-you-care-to-eat brunch every Sunday.

Elimination of Campus Dining Dollars for Sophomores

The freshman dining plan remains at $3,400 for the academic year and includes $1,400 Campus Dining Dollars and $2,000 Colonial Cash. The sophomore dining plan remains at $2,500 for the academic year and includes $2,500 Colonial Cash. The junior dining plan includes $2,000 in Colonial Cash. The senior dining plan includes $1,000 in Colonial Cash.

As in the past, all unused Colonial Cash and Campus Dining Dollars will roll over from the end of the Fall 2011 semester into the Spring 2012 semester. Additionally, an unused funds roll over policy is in effect to minimize students’ loss of unused Campus Dining Dollars. Therefore, at the end of the Spring 2012 semester, unused Campus Dining Dollars of up to $700, for freshmen only, can be carried forward to the next academic year, 2012-2013. Campus Dining Dollars carried forward to 2012-2013 must be spent by the end of Spring 2013 or they will be forfeited.

Any remaining balance of Colonial Cash rolls over from year to year and only expires if the account is inactive for a continuous 35 months. Frequent review of your GWorld Colonial Cash account activity is recommended and will help you manage your funds and avoid forfeiture of Campus Dining Dollars.

Hours of Operation: Including New Weekend and Late Night Hours

GWorld Dining Partners

The university dining program also includes over 90 GWorld dining partners, enabling students to eat according to their individual dietary needs and schedules. Visit GWorld’s website for a full list of partners at gworld.gwu.edu.

Please visit the Living at GW website, living.gwu.edu, for additional information about GW’s dining program and residential services at GW. In addition to the dining website, Facebook and Twitter, students are encouraged to provide feedback through your student representatives on the Student Dining Board (formerly known as the Dining Services Commission). If you are interested in being a part of the Student Dining Board, please contact the Chair, Ben Leighton, at bleight@gwu.edu.

See you this fall!