Cleaning Practices and Seating Options

In addition to UCF’s pre-COVID extensive sanitation procedures, Dining Services is implementing vigorous cleaning schedules of all high-touch areas such as door handles, counters, tray slides, etc.

Plexiglass dividers have been installed at registers, and employees’ hand-hygiene practices will include more frequent hand washing and glove changes. The commercial dishwashers use cleaning products with the highest levels of efficacy to ensure that dishes, flatware and glasses will be safe to use. Self-service areas will now be staffed with employees to assist diners’ needs.

Students will be able to use some indoor, physically distanced seating eating options. UCF staff has reset indoor dining rooms at Knightro’s, ’63 South, Einstein Bros. Bagels in the Business Administration building, Starbucks and more of its on-campus establishments to practice physical distancing in accordance with university guidelines. In dining halls and Student Union spaces, seating pods will be available for “COVID bubble members” — those who live at the same residence — to eat together.

Per university policy, students must wear their mask when they are not eating or drinking and should be stationary when consuming food.

Outdoor seating is available at Einstein Bros. Bagels in Business Administration, Chick-fil-A in the John T. Washington Center, Chili’s in the Student Union, and Starbucks in Health and Public Affairs. Patio seating is also available on the north side of the Student Union.

Grab-and-Go Meals

Knightro’s and ’63 South have always offered grab-and-go meals and will continue to do so with some modifications.

For breakfast and dinner, students who choose the grab-and-go option will be given a disposable container and will be permitted to enter the dining establishment and select food for themselves.

For lunch — traditionally UCF Dining Service’s peak hours — grab-and-go will consist of a pre-packaged meal to prevent crowding and wait times as much as possible. Daily grab-and-go menus, which will include vegan options, can be viewed ahead of time on UCF Dining’s website, and will also be listed at the restaurant.

There will be a dedicated line at lunch for grab-and-go diners to decrease wait times.

Mobile Ordering

Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of mobile ordering for any UCF Dining establishment through the .

Once on campus, access the app on your phone, navigate to settings and select UCF Campus. Order your meal, select your pickup time and avoid waiting in line.

Knight Cash is accepted as a payment method in addition to credit and debit cards.

Wellness Meal Plans

UCF Dining Services and UCF Housing and Residence Life have partnered to create a meal program in the event a student who lives on campus requires isolation or quarantine.

This program is for students who currently reside in on-campus housing, and can select this meal program when working with their housing representative prior to moving to isolation. The meals will be safely delivered by Housing and Residence Life once each day.

Wellness Meal Plans include dinner for that day’s delivery, and breakfast and lunch for the following day. Vegan, gluten-sensitive and nut-free options are available. Students who already have purchased a meal plan can opt-in to this program at no additional charge. Students who have not purchased a meal plan will be provided a link from housing to purchase a Wellness Meal Plan.

Where to Find Up-to-Date Information

• which includes hours of operation
• Alerts will post to @UCFDining on social media

The event will go from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Café Bustelo in the Student Union.

Attendees can chat with officers and victim advocates about any topic, all while enjoying a free cup of coffee courtesy of Café Bustelo.

This is will be the third time UCFPD and UCF Dining Services are partnering on Coffee With a Cop.

Victim advocates are joining this event in honor of January’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Human trafficking is believed to be the third-largest crime in the world, according to the FBI, and it’s often referred to as modern-day slavery.

Orlando is a particularly popular area for human trafficking due to the booming tourism industry, and college-aged people are especially vulnerable because traffickers often use social media to target and entice them.

Advocates and officers will answer questions about human trafficking, and attendees are encouraged to bring any other questions and feedback.

This semester’s official move-in days are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22. The housing staff will check in residents those days with the help of volunteers and campus partners providing directions and information. The housing staff also will be available the abbreviated hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday for students to move in, but without volunteers assisting students. Some students involved in special programs such as marching band, sorority recruitment and theatre auditions have already taken advantage of early move-in.

Ideally, this year’s incoming students representing all 50 states and 152 countries have already reviewed UCF Housing and Residence Life’s as they prepare for moving in, such as what to bring, what NOT to bring, and where to park while unloading items.

With all the commotion of the day, it’s easy to overlook some of the details while lugging in clothes, towels, electronic devices and other things from back home. So keep in mind:

Arriving and checking in

New residents and moving helpers should park in designated temporary unloading zones for your specific community that have already been assigned. Parking staffers on site will issue one-hour parking passes for check-in and express unloading. To avoid crowding at check-in, students are encouraged to check in while helpers remain outside. Students should bring their UCF ID card, because room keys will not be issued without proper identification. Staff and volunteers also will review important student information

Parking permits

Resident students who have cars can register vehicles and purchase parking permits through . The staff recommends waiting to purchase a permit until the move-in weekend because room assignments may change.

Meal plan

This semester’s meal plan begins with lunch Friday. If they haven’t already done so, students can sign up by going to the UCF Dining Services . Various options are available.

Community Living Guide

Rules, behaviors and expectations that all residents are expected to abide by are in the university’s . Resident students are encouraged to read the guide because violations can result in sanctions ranging from warnings to housing termination.

Payments

Charges for housing can be viewed and paid online at the . Paper bills will not be mailed. If there are any questions or concerns about payment, call the Department of Housing & Residence Life at 407-823-4663 and ask to speak with an accountant.

Renter’s insurance

UCF is not responsible for students’ belongings in the event of damage, fire, hurricanes, etc., per the conditions of the housing agreement, so the university recommends students acquire renter’s insurance. Policies are available at various insurance companies. Some homeowner’s insurance policies cover the belongings of students living on campus, so parents should check out this option with their insurance company.

For students moving in, Christi Hartzler, executive director of Housing & Residence Life, said three important tips to remember are:

And what are the most common things that students tend to overlook or forget?

“Trash cans and trash bags. These are not supplied in any residence hall facility,” Hartzler said. “And headphones/earbuds are really good for facilitating positive roommate relationships.”

Finally, Hartzler suggests checking the myUCF website to make sure there are no pending items to complete before arriving, which could delay moving in.

Aramark, UCF’s dining provider, has created a ”Peace of Mind” station that debuted in June at both dining halls. The station was added by the UCF Dining Services team in response to a survey of 3,000 students on their dining experiences. In the survey, many students wanted to see more locally grown food options along with increased requests for specific dietary accommodations. The “Peace of Mind” station will “satisfy all these requests in one location,” Aramark said.

“This station is for everyone: anyone who likes to customize their own meal, customers who enjoy healthy options, and allergy-sensitive consumers,” Aramark said.

Guests can create a custom meal by combining fresh, local produce, vegan protein items and gluten-free grains such as rice noodles or quinoa. These custom combinations are then sautéed by a station chef with olive oil or sauces in flavors such as Moroccan vegetable tagine or roasted red pepper.

Knightro’s and Marketplace will also continue to offer existing gluten-free options: gluten-free cheese pizza (upon request), gluten-free Rice Chex cereal, chicken breast and turkey burgers at the grill, select side dishes and select fair-trade, organic Green Mountain Coffee drinks.

More information on UCF Dining Services, menus and nutrition facts for Marketplace and Knightro’s can be found at .

Among the highlights is GreenWaves III, an electronic music festival sponsored by E.Co. and the Campus Activities Board. The festival will be held from noon to 11 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at the UCF Arena.

GreenWaves will take the concept of a concert to the next level by incorporating a piezoelectric dance floor that converts dancing energy into electricity. The audience will contribute to the energy being used by the concert, and the crowd also will control lighting and special effects.

GreenWaves headliners include Alesso, DEV, 3Lau and KillaGraham. Tickets are free for UCF students and $20 for general admission. More information can be found at .

Other Earth Month events include:

-“Range, Furrow and Grove: Images of Florida Agriculture,” an exhibit of photographs, will be on display on the main floor of the UCF Library through Monday, April 30. The exhibit, a reflection on Florida’s agricultural system in the early 1900s, is sponsored by UCF Dining Services and other partners.

-Members of the sustainable student group I.D.E.A.S. will speak to youngsters at UCF’s Creative School for Children about growing fruits and vegetables at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 12.

-UCF Dining Services will sponsor its second “Food 4 Thought Week” April 16-20. Events, which are open to the public, will focus on sustainable food. Activities include a demonstration on how to make a solar oven, and a fair-trade coffee sampling event. Additional details are available at http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSS/UnivCentralFlorida.

-The Rosen College of Hospitality Management will host “Glowing Green” on Thursday, April 19. Students can plant herbs and flowers and decorate seed pots near the front gates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Upcycling activities will be held in the Rosen College Community Center from 4 to 7 p.m.

To learn more about the “green” movement on campus, visit the .

Events will run from Monday, Nov. 14, through Friday, Nov. 18. They will include a film screening, guest speaker and panel discussion. Other highlights include a luncheon featuring locally-sourced ingredients and a tasting of responsibly-sourced coffee.

A full listing of events can be seen here.

“Food 4 Thought” is hosted by UCF Dining Services in partnership with the UCF Library, I.D.E.A.S. for UCF, E.Co, the UCF General Education Program Unifying Theme and Slow Food Orlando.

Throughout November, UCF Dining Services and the UCF Library also are hosting an exhibit that focuses on sustainable food initiatives at UCF, in the community and throughout the globe.

The green-minded food lovers exhibit includes books such as “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan and “Waste and Want” by Susan Strasser, and films such as “The Cove” and “A Crude Awakening.”

șŁœÇֱȄ Dining Services is taking sustainability to the next level by replacing the disposable foam containers with reusable plastic “to-go” boxes at Marketplace and Knightro’s dining halls.

The new boxes are available this week. Made of recyclable plastic, the to-go food boxes are estimated to keep 145,000 disposable foam containers out of landfills this academic year.

“This program is yet another initiative in our ongoing plan to strive toward zero waste and support the sustainability goals of UCF,” said Robbie Turner, resident district manager for UCF Dining Services/ARAMARK.

When students finish eating their meals in residence halls or other locations, they can trade in the used to-go boxes for clean ones or choose to receive a card redeemable for a new box for their next meal.

The reusable to-go boxes are free for students on a meal plan. Students without meal plans can enroll in the reusable to-go box program at the Marketplace Main Office by paying a $5 deposit, which is refundable at the end of the semester.

Students can also save money by going green with UCF Dining Services’ new reusable to-go cups, called “2-in-1 Tumblers,” which will allow users to receive $.99 fountain drink and coffee refills.

Other eco-friendly changes to conserve water and reduce food waste at the dining halls have led to big savings on energy, water, cleaning agents and waste removal.

Since 2008, trayless dining, for example, has saved more than 1.2 million gallons of water and nearly 8,425 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, according to Eden Wetherell, sustainability coordinator for UCF Dining Services.

Marketplace and Knightro’s also host stations that cater to vegetarian and vegan students and cut down on food waste. Knightstop, a convenience store located inside the Student Union, offers organic to-go options in smaller portions for students on the run looking for a quick bite. And instead of discarding fryer oil, UCF Dining Services recycles 100 percent of the oil into biofuels that power large trucks and machinery.

Dining Services also recycles coffee grounds collected from the Java City coffee shop in the UCF Library, Burger King and Einstein Bros. Bagels located on campus. Nearly 3,000 pounds of grounds are composted each semester and donated to the UCF Arboretum’s organic community garden.

To learn more about UCF Dining Services and its sustainability initiatives, go to .

UCF’s Kill-a-Watt Annual Energy Conservation Competition challenged students to reduce energy consumption in their residence halls for three months. Students learned helpful tips for reducing energy while competing for scholarships and other prizes.

This year’s competition resulted in savings of $48,825 — and enough energy to power 482 homes for a month. More than $146,000 in energy costs has been saved over the past five years of the competition.

The winning building this year was Nike 102, located in Academic Village. The residence hall had an energy savings of nearly 30 percent. Five residents of the winning building are eligible to win $750 scholarships.

The competition was sponsored by the Department of Sustainability & Energy Management and Housing and Residence Life.

This semester’s other sustainability initiatives included RecycleMania, a competition for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities on their campuses.

Over a 10-week period, UCF and 286 other schools reported trash and recycling data.

UCF collected 128, 596 pounds of recycled goods during the competition.

RecycleMania was led by UCF Dining Services, with support from UCF Recycles, the Student Government Association and Housing and Residence Life.

To learn more about Kill-a-Watt, click . For more information about RecycleMania, click here.

Events kick off Monday, April 18, and culminate with an on-campus field day on Earth Day, which is Friday, April 22. The 2011 Earth Day bash will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Memory Mall and will include live music, yoga and outdoor activities.

Activities are co-sponsored by UCF Landscape & Natural Resources, the Recreation and Wellness Center’s Outdoor Adventure Program, the Student Government Association’s Environment & Sustainability Program and the UCF Environmental Coalition.

Learn more at.

Other UCF ‘Earth Week’ events include:

— “Get Caught Green Handed” by UCF Dining Services. From noon to 2 p.m. throughout the week at participating locations, individuals using or buying reusable items might be “caught” by members of UCF Dining Services’ Sustainability Green Team and given a coupon to use at campus dining locations.

— Practice yoga in nature. Every Tuesday at noon, the UCF Arboretum and Recreation and Wellness Center host yoga classes at the Oak Hammock. Meet at the Nature Pavilion, off Gemini Boulevard across from parking Lot C-2, and walk together along the Nature Trails.

— The UCF Arboretum is hosting “Garden Days,” open to all students and faculty and staff members. Help maintain the UCF Organic Community Garden and take home free produce on Thursday, April 21, and Friday, April 22. Shifts begin at 8 and 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m. Show up at the Arboretum office, Trailer 525, with closed-toe shoes.

— Lend a hand and help make UCF’s campus safer, cleaner and healthier. The fourth-annual “Campus Clean-Up” will be held Thursday, April 21. Interested participants should meet in front of the Student Union at 1 p.m.

— UCF will host a Community Summit on the Environment from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 21, in Cape Florida Ballroom, Room 316, in the Student Union. Local and international leaders will discuss topics such as ecology, health and ethics. The keynote speaker will be William Powers, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute.

— On Earth Day, the Marketplace and Knightro’s dining halls will have entirely meatless menus, with the exception of chicken made-to-order at the grill. The Marketplace, located in Ferrell Commons, will be open Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. Knightro’s, located next to the UCF Arena, will be open Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.