The coffee shop on the main level of the library is closed. In its place will be a Subway that the university plans to open by the spring semester, according to Julie Ingram, the manager of conference and dining services at IU Southeast. This is one of several changes to dining services this year.

The Subway franchise was purchased by the school and will be staffed by students. The new restaurant will be the only outside food source available on campus. However, some students have doubts about the Subway.

“I’ll be honest, I liked when there was a coffee shop there,” Joe Simon, history senior, said.

Simon said he spends most of his time in the library and is not looking forward to having to walk to the student center for coffee.

Many students have expressed excitement about the new restaurant, though.

“I love Subway. It makes me happy,” Taylor Reynolds, special education sophomore, said.

Ingram said that Subway was ultimately picked because it is a healthier option than most other fast food establishments. She said that she often observes students choosing things like candy bars and sodas for lunch.

Ingram said she hopes that having a second option for dining on campus will continue to encourage students to engage in healthy eating practices.

“We always try to promote a healthier lifestyle to students,” Ingram said.

Additionally, the dining hall has a new executive chef. Aaron Wilder was the former sous-chef but has stepped into his new role since this summer.

“I didn’t even know there was a new chef, but as long as they still have chicken tenders I’m fine,” Courtney Nott, criminal justice junior, said.

IU Southeast now offers two new meal plans. One is an unlimited meal plan, which costs $1,500 per semester. Students will be allowed to swipe their UCard for meals and for snacks.

The unlimited plan also includes 100 “flex” dollars that can be used at the coffee shop and Subway. The plan can not be extended to vending machines or other bottled beverages.

Ingram said this is a great plan for students who live on campus, but any student is welcome to purchase it.

The second new plan costs 500 dollars, which will roll over to the next semester if not used in full. It can be used in the dining hall, the coffee shop, and the new Subway. This plan also gives students a 10 percent discount on purchases in the University Center Commons as well as in the coffee shop.

The final change is that the dining hall now accepts credit and debit cards as a form of payment. The dining hall formerly only accepted cash and UCards as payment.

“I’m surprised they went to that [credit cards], it’s not that hard to put money on your UCard,” Joe Simon, history senior, said.

Reynolds likes that she will no longer have to ask her mom for money to refill her UCard.

“It makes it easier,” Reynolds said.

However, there is a five dollar minimum when paying with a card due to high processing fees. IU Southeast processes their cards through a secure analog line safe from security breaches.

According to Ingram, the school uses this to make students feel safer about using their cards to pay at IU Southeast.