Questions about your SUNYCard:

My card is lost/stolen. How do I deactivate it?
Report it right away! Log in to PodiumNet and deactivate it to protect your accunt. You may also call the SUNYCard Office during regular business hours at 518-442-5989 (8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday), or contact UPD to deactivate your account.

How do I change my meal plan?
Online at MyUAlbany, in person in the SUNYCard Office (Campus Center B52), by email: sunycard@albany.edu.

Where can I use my SUNYCard?
Lots of places...
You may need it for door access - especially if you live on campus
Dining locations on campus
Bookstore
Copiers/Printing in University Libraries
Vending Machines
Off Podium locations

Why charge $20 for a lost SUNYCard that is not really lost? Last year I paid for a new card and then found my card within a day or two.
There is overhead and staff time involved in producing a temporary card, and a new card; as well as in checking that there was no illegal use of the card, and that the old card is terminated.
Also, when a card is reported lost, that card is deactivated and given a whole new MAG stripe number (ID #). This change helps with theft and fraud prevention. Once the old number is deactivated, a brand new one is processed and the old one can no longer be used.

Questions about your Podium Account:

Where do I find out my Podium or Munch Money balance?
To Check The Balance:

• Sign-Up: We'll email you if the balance drops below $10
  (email: sunycard@albany.edu)
• On-Line: For balance info and statements, sign up at PodiumNet
• Campus Dining Services: The cashier should be able to provide you with your Munch Money or Podium balance . . . just ask!
• Vending Machines: The balance displayed at the end of the transaction is the total of all Munch Money and/or Podium available on your account.
• Library Value Adding Stations & Copier Readers: Show Podium balances only
• The SUNYCard Office: We can't give balances out over the phone for security reasons, but are happy to help you out whenever you come in!

Questions about Dining Services & Meal Plans:

Questions about Meal Plans:

I am participating in an internship this semester, can I change my meal plan?
Yes - students living in traditional housing who are participating in an official intern program that keeps them off campus are allowed to adjust their meal plan

• Please bring a letter from your advisor, or the director of the program, to the SUNYCard Office verifying your participation and we will allow you to change to one of the Apartments Meal Plans for the semester.
• There is a base amount for the Apartment Meal Plans, and you can add to this if you feel you might need additional funds for the semester.
• If you need additional assistance, call the SUNYCard Office (518-442-5989) or stop by the office in B52 of the Campus Center.

I changed my Meal Plan, how do I get the difference in price back?
The adjustments are posted to student's accounts each week- review your account on MyUAlbany and contact the Student Accounts Office directly to request that credit be sent to your home address.

Can I treat a guest by using two meals in a meal period?
Yes - with any meal plan! Meal Plans allow for unlimited access to the resident dining halls up to the number of meals you have purchased. You can use your meals to treat a guest or dine multiple times during a meal period.

Can I change my meal plan once the semester has begun?
Yes! You have the option of changing your meal plan during the first ten business days of each semester.

What is the meal trade ("swipe") option?
Meal trade "combo meals" are available for each meal period in the Campus Center retail food court. For a listing of specific meals, locations and times, please visit the Chartwells website: www.dineoncampus.com/albany

How do you count the meals on the 15 Weekly or 19 Weekly Meal Plans? With the 19 Weekly Meal Plan can I eat 20 meals one week and 18 the next?
The 15 Weekly and 19 Weekly Meal Plans "reset" every Monday. Meals do not carry over from week to week on the Weekly 15 or Weekly 19 Meal Plans. You can obtain your meal balance at any cashier station.

If I have meals left on my meal plan do they carry over to the next semester? Meals that are unused by the semester's end do not carry over to the next semester. More information can be found at www.dineoncampus.com/albany/?cmd=Residents
Munch Money does carry over from semester to semester and year to year, as long as you are an enrolled student and have purchased a current meal plan.

If I purchase a meal plan for the next semester will I get more Munch Money also?
Next semseter you will obtain more Munch Money with the purchase of a meal plan (the amount will depend on which meal plan you choose). Munch Money does carry over from semseter to semester as long as you are enrolled at the University and have purchased a current meal plan.

Why are meals plans mandatory?
The University has mandated meal plans as a way of protecting the students. Residential housing does not have adequate cooking equipment & storage space to insure a safe environment for food preparation and waste removal. The University is also concerned that students with limited financial means would have to choose between food and other expenses, especially at the end of the semester, when money tends to run low.

Questions about Campus Center Food Venues:

When can I use my Meal Plan for Meal Trades in the campus center?
Please see the easy to read chart on the Meal Trades web page that outlines when and where you can use Meal Trades.

Questions about What Is Open & When:

Questions about Food:

Can students take food out?
Bag lunches are available upon request if a student's class schedule conflicts with the meal schedule. Also, if a student is ill and not able to eat in the dining hall, arrangements can be made for a take-out meal by calling the quad dining hall manager.

Where can students who are not on the Kosher meal plan obtain bagels?
Bagels and coffee are available at the Coop, Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM and at the Outtakes Store, Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM.

Can we have a hot breakfast offered every morning?
Hot breakfasts are available for meal swipes at the Coop, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Breakfast inlcudes eggs, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, fresh fruit, juice and coffee.

Can you add more spices to the food?
Spices are available on the spice rack by the salad bar so that you can spice foods according to your taste. We are also going to experiment with increasing spices in foods.

Does the food service put laxatives in food?
No. We have many mechanisms to provide safe food: state inspections, temperature controls, purchases from approved vendors, etc.

Can we have more multicultural items - Brazilian food, Indian food, etc. - moreoften?
We encourage students to tell us specific items they would like added to the menu. We even suggest submitting recipes so that we may work on providing different menu items. Please email your suggestions to the Director of Food Service, Michelle McConville.

What happens to unused food - is it thrown out?
Due to health regulations, unused food is thrown out. There are strategies in place, however, to help decrease the amount of waste. Food is cooked in batches based on customer trends. This also helps in maintenance of freshness & quality.

Can you eliminate burgers and fries and serve healthier options?
Chartwells would be glad to add what you like rather than taking away options that other students do want. If you want something added, please ask the quad manager for it.

Can you make more ethnic spices available?
Chartwells will be glad to make the spices available, just give the manager a list.

Other Dining Questions:

Can we donate our meal swipes to support natural disaster relief efforts?
NY State Tax Laws do not allow donation of meal swipes for relief efforts.

Do we use best practices from other Universities?
We participate in The National Association of College & University Food Services' food service survey which benchmarks UAlbany against itself as well as compares us to other Universities from year to year. UAS and Chartwells staff members visit other colleges to gain more knowledge on how to improve services.

How do we address rude staff members?
Inform management immediately when things like that occur. It is helpful if you can provide the manager with the name of the staff member, all employees should be wearing a name tag. Managers names & photos are posted at the welcome station in the dining room.

Can you buy food products from local farmers?
Chartwells purchases more than $300,000 worth of food from local farmers.

How do you accommodate Muslim students during the month of Ramadan?
Muslim students observing the fast of Ramadan can contact their dining hall manager and pick up a pre-packed breakfast the night before, so that they can eat before sunrise.


Questions about Munch Money:

What happens to my unused Munch Money at the end of the semester?
Munch Money carries over from semester to semester as long as you are enrolled at the University and have purchased a current meal plan.

What do I do if my Munch Money runs low?
Each time you make a purchase using your Munch Money, your balance will be displayed at the register. You can also track your Munch Money purchases and balance on line with PodiumNet. You can add Munch Money at any time:

• On-line: PodiumNet
  (Visa & MasterCard only)
• In Person: SUNYCard Office, Campus Center B52
  (cash, check, Visa, MasterCard & Discover)
• By Phone: 518-442-5989
  (Visa, MasterCard & Discover)

Why is Munch Money mandatory, can we have optional Munch Money?
Munch Money is included in the meal plan in order to give students more options in purchasing snacks and food items in campus locations other than the dining halls. Since it is part of the meal plan, Munch Money is exempt from sales tax, and can be
funded through financial aid.

Can Munch Money be used at the Bookstore?
No, Munch Money is part of the meal plan and can only be used to purchase food and beverages.

Where do I find out my Munch Money or Podium balance?
To Check The Balance:

• Sign-Up: We'll email you if the balance drops below $10
  (email: sunycard@albany.edu)
• On-Line: For balance info and statements, sign up at PodiumNet
• Campus Dining Services: The cashier should be able to provide you with your unch Money or Podium balance . . . just ask!
• Vending Machines: The balance displayed at the end of the transaction is the total of all Munch Money and/or Podium available on your account.
• Library Value Adding Stations & Copier Readers: Show Podium balances only
• The SUNYCard Office: We can't give balances out over the phone for security easons, but are happy to help you out whenever you come in!

Questions about Off Campus Catering:

Questions about Nutritional Services:

What is ENN?
ENN (Email Nutrition News) is a monthly electronic nutrition newsletter designed to provide UAlbany students with cutting edge nutrition updates as a "value added" component to on-campus dining.

What does ENN look like?
ENN will be short - less than one page of UAlbany nutritional news and nutrition updates which are of interest to UAlbany college students. It is also a forum for students to provide comments and suggestions that will help improve the dining services program - responses are VERY welcome!

What does ENN cost?
ENN is free.

How can I subscribe to receive ENN?
Just email us and let us know that you would like to receive ENN!

Questions about The University Bookstore:

How do you justify the prices on your clothing?
All of our products are collegiate licensed, and we make sure that our vendors do not use sweatshop labor. Our products are high quality & will last.

Why are textbook prices so high?
One of the things that affects the price of textbooks is professors ordering the new additions, this cuts down on the number of used textbooks that we can make available to students. The University Bookstore also guarantees the condition of their used books. Inaddition, The University Bookstore contributes to the University community in a number of ways, including $10,000 in scholarships each year and support to student activities and various other University groups.

Questions about Banking Services

Questions about Vending Services:

Please explain Podium Purchases vs. Munch Money Purchases in the vending machines!

When you make purchases from vending machines by swiping your SUNYCard between 11 PM and 7 AM, the system will deduct money from your Munch Money account. The system will only deduct money from your Podium Account if you have no Munch Money.

Your SUNYCard Podium Account is accepted in the vending machines at any time.

I have lost money in vending machines, and when I call the number I get a recording - how can I get my money back?
There should be a local number or an 800 number on each vending machine, but you will not find a live response, especially in the middle of the night.
You may also contact the UAS office (518-442-5950) directly so that we can contact Coca-Cola or Canteen Vending to inform them of a vending malfunction.

Questions about Laundry Facilities:

What do I do if I have a problem with a washing machine or dryer?
Please call 518-442-5964
Provide the following information:

• Quad name or location
• Building name
• Machine number
• What's wrong with the machine

Questions about UAlbany Advertising:

Questions about What's Open & When:

Questions about Program Funds:

Questions about Activities & Events:

Questions about Outtakes On-line Ordering:

What is Outtakes On-line?

• A new On-line food ordering system for Outtakes Quick Cuisine menu items
• You choose what you want to eat and when you want to pick up your order
• Then you pick up your meal at Outtakes Quick Cuisine without waiting in line

How Does Outtakes On-line work?

• Click on this link: https://ualbany.webfood.com
• Login. For first time users, you will need to establish your login and password using your University at Albany e-mail address
• Browse the menu for the day you will want to pick up your order
• Place your order
• Select the day and time you will want to pick up your order
• Select your payment method
• Pick up your order at Outtakes Quick Cuisine in the Campus Center