Task: Before the formal report, students were tasked to introduce a problem, provide potential analysis research methods, and provide potential solutions. This proposal was then approved by Professor Erika Paterson.

 

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Kelly Kim

Date: February 15th, 2022

Subject: Proposal to Enhance Visibility of Affordable Meals options for UBC students

Introduction:

As the effects of the pandemic wear off and classes resume back in person, students are faced to go back to the UBC campus and resume their activities. Every day, the primary question we ask ourselves is, “what are we going to eat today?” Students living on campus and attending in-person lectures are often faced to purchase their meals on campus. However, one problem students face is – are there affordable food options on campus? As students have a limited budget for food, it is quite difficult to find affordable options within walking distance that fit within the budget.

UBC campus itself is isolated from the rest of Vancouver, located 30 minutes from the heart of downtown. The geographical isolation mandates students to purchase their meals on retail options on campus, which oftentimes are higher in the price point and are limited in quantity as well. Unfortunately, the meal is affordable with good quality ingredients, students are faced with a long queue.

Audience Description:

The formal report will be pitched to the representatives of the AMS Student Life Committee the AMS Advocacy committee.

Statement of the problem:

Food prices also have grown almost by six percent last year. So how are students coping with the situation? Students must keep their monthly food spending within their budget while their grocery bills are higher. According to Ascenda, an estimate for food costs for students is around $300 to $700 per month. Whereas the average meal cost in Vancouver per meal per person is around $10- $15. It is rare to find a hearty full meal on campus below $10. As there are limited avenues to find the menu options and is extremely difficult to find affordable options on campus, centralized board can be great tool for UBC where price points and restaurant offering the menu is easily accessible.

Proposed Solution:

The first step of the solution is identifying the severity of the problem. What are the affordable options for students on campus? Is there a congregated source where students can easily access the list of food within their budget? Are students aware of these options? After the problem has been assessed, the next step is to create a solution by conducting research. What mode of method do students have to find affordable options on campus? If there are already a lot of affordable options, how can UBC communicate these options effectively to the students? If there is an updated centralized board where all on-campus menus and their price points are listed, students will benefit and not have to exceed their monthly food budget or travel outside of campus to eat.

Scope:

To assess the feasibility of the current, I plan to investigate:

• What are the current options for students on campus?
• What are students’ budgets for food for UBC students?
• How many times per week do they purchase food on campus?
• What media do students use to research for food?
• How satisfied are students with the options provided?
• Are students aware of the affordable options available within walking distance?
• Is there a list of centralized food menus offered on campus for students?

Methods:

The primary source of data will include surveys with the University of British Columbia students. Surveys will help identify the current budget and their current knowledge of food options on campus. It will also help to gauge interest for this project and if there is demand from students for this research to be completed.

The secondary sources of information on the topic will include research on price points and food availability on campus through the web using yelp and the UBC food webpage.

My Qualifications:

I am an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia. Having experienced a limited food budget, and deeply relating to the topic at hand, I am one of the target populations that the research is seeking to question. I also have built great relationships with the undergraduate students on campus to ask for their opinion or interview when needed to minimize my personal bias to ask for a variety of feedback about the topic.

Furthermore, as I attend in-person lectures and come to campus every day, I am accessible to view restaurants’ and retailers’ offerings on campus.

Conclusion:

As food is a necessity and a fuel for growth for students, it is imperative that students have visibility to affordable options to help them focus more on their studies. By assessing the current state of student’s understandings of food prices in UBC and proposing a well-rounded solution, students will be able to easily pick their next menu.