Student Service Program Manager Thomas Pellizzi and University Center Director Bob Barry presented the UW-Whitewater Dining Services budget at the Whitewater Student Government meeting on Monday.

The budget was built on the assumption of 3.7 percent inflation. The state asked for the budget to be built around 2.0 percent inflation.

Highlights on the budget include an average increase in meal plan prices of 3.26 percent, which comes out to an increase of $34.09 per semester per student.

However, Pellizzi and Barry said the increase will allow UW-Whitewater to remain as the second lowest costing food service provider in the UW System. The average system rate is expected to be more than 12 percent above the UW-Whitewater price for comparable plans. UW-River Falls is $17.40 per year lower than UW-Whitewater 14 meal plan.

UW-Eau Claire is the most expensive in the system, charging $660 more per year than UW-Whitewater for their 14-meal plan. Other UW-System schools charge an average of $235.80 per year for a 14-meal plan, which is a 10.77 percent increase.

The number of people signed up for a meal plan during the fall of 2011 is expected to be 286 less than during the fall of 2010, when 3,836 people were signed up for a meal plan.

WSG President Andrew Whaley said the senators cannot approve or disapprove anything because the budget is a non-allocable fee. The budget was presented to see if any senators had questions regarding anything on the budget.

Whaley said he’s hopeful that students stay on campus since UW-Whitewater remains one of the cheapest dining services in the system.

“It’s a good thing for UW-Whitewater,” Whaley said. “We have decent food for the price we pay.”

Other budget highlights include no change in the salary for classified or unclassified employees. Total classified salaries are up $2,871 due to a vacant program assistant position, while unclassified salaries are up $32,500 to fill the vacant associate director position. The total service and supply budget has been decreased by $306,323.