Student Government Dining Initiatives | TCNJ Student Government

One of TCNJ Student Government’s most important focuses is the quality and accessibility of dining on campus. In Student Government, students meet regularly with faculty and staff on the Dining Services Committee to address issues and concerns and advocate for change. Anyone in Student Government, though, can push for a change on their own. Here are some of the initiatives our members have been taking this year to better your dining experience!

Pictured on the left is Carl, Freshman Class Council President, and on the right is Dante, Freshman Class Council Treasurer.

From the TCNJSG Instagram page explaining Carl and Dante’s initiative

Carl and Dante started their FCC leadership of strong by bringing in an initiative involving the flexibility of Meal Equivalency on campus. Carl and Dante introduced this initiative in November 2024 to allow students to use their Meal Equivalency whenever they please and get rid of the restriction of specific meal periods. Currently, this initiative is still going through internal processes of debate and consideration from faculty and staff

Kate Zydor, TCNJ Student Government’s Vice President for Student Services, and Andrew LoMonte, Senator of the School of Humanities and Social Science and Dining Services Liaison.

Posted to TCNJSG Instagram breaking down Kate and Andrew’s dining initiative in November 2024

Kate and Andrew conducted various online surveys in November 2024 to gain knowledge about what students are looking to see added to the Traditions menu, an on-campus restaurant. Kate and Andrew advocate for these changes and additions when attending the weekly Dining Services Committee.

Andrew’s initiative to encourage the Dining Services Committee to provide the option of empanadas at TDUBS, a dining facility located into between Travers and Wolfe dorm halls.

Dining Service’s Liaison, Andrew LoMonte, worked extremely hard the fall semester to bring change and advocate for students dining needs and wants. Here are a few of his accomplishments for the Fall 2024 semester!

Andrew LoMonte explaining his advocacy work for another Just Baked vending machine to be added to the BSC

Andrews’s successful initiative of advocating for a “Light Sauce” at Teriyaki, located in the Brower Student Center

From the TCNJSG Instagram, Kate Zydor, TCNJ Student Government’s VP of Student Services, and Andrew LoMonte, Dining Services Liasion and Senator of HSS

From the TCNJSG Instagram explaining Kate and Andrew's dining initiative — From the TCNJSG Instagram explaining Kate and Andrew’s dining initiative

Kate and Andrew also worked on another initiative related to Meal Equivalency related to Carl and Dante’s but different end goals. Both initiatives aim to make Meal Equivalency more accessible for students, but Kate and Andrew’s idea focuses solely on the expansion of Meal Equivalency usage to the weekends instead of only Monday – Friday. This initiative is currently being pursued (March 2025).

Jared Williams, Student Government’s Executive President, brought exciting change to TCNJ’s Traditions by introducing the new options of Pina Coladas and Strawberry Daiquiris to the menu! This initiative provides students with a broader menu to further improve their overall dining experience at TCNJ.