Tomorrow afternoon is the second monthly University Council meeting of the semester, a forum for discussion and recommendations of issues and policies for the university. If you wanted a chance to speak, submission for questions or proposals were due last last week (womp). Nonetheless, below are some issues we hope attendees have planned to address (or begin maniacally ranting about as they charge the stage, only to be dragged out of the room by the bodyguards we like to pretend Madame President has).

Lower Houston Market prices. Students are actually starting to feel bad about stealing such expensive food, so a reduction to last year’s (only mildly overinflated) prices will put students’ consciences at ease when they shoplift sushi. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Houston Market,

Though we may have plenty of Dining Dollar$ and PennCa$h at the beginning of this semester ($emester?), paying an extra dollar for every pasta toss or salad will add up. It’s pretty low to expect us to cope with new eating habits along with new classes and other stresses, like fitting those salad boxes into your recycling bins. And even worse, you switched costs for salads and pasta by precisely 99 cents, from $5.50 to $6.49. What percent is that? Don’t answer that, Housty, we’re not listening.

Concerned but with love,
UTB

Remember that last remaining vestige of the early 2000s, the dusty old CampusLink corner in Houston Market? The one with Gateway computer ads and echoes of Napster? It’s gone. Yup, covered in caution tape and filled with stacked chairs and tables. It’s like a crime scene from “CSI,” but filled with the memories of the dot-com bubble instead of bodies. What do you think should go in the space? Tell us in the comments.

Check out these spiffy new trash cans in Houston that show you what you can throw into them. We love these bins, they’re so random. And fancy! Note: Plastic containers must be forcibly (again: FORCIBLY) shoved into the recycling receptacles.

…Houston! Congratulations, Houston Market! Also, what islands?

This seems appropriate. A mummy appears to have set up shop near the westernmost entrance to Houston Market, likely as a promotion for the Silk Road exhibit at the Penn Museum. This is a good thing! Because we’d hate to not look at a bunch of preserved human remains (real or simulated) just before eating lunch.

Bean bag!

Finals really, really suck. In an effort to mitigate said suckiness, Penn likes to hook students up with the occasional freebie. Houston isn’t the only place to find perks — hit up these spots starting today and continuing through the 22nd:

Mark’s Cafe, Van Pelt: Extra shot of espresso free (plus now they’re open until 2 a.m.!)

Accenture Cafe, Towne Building: Extra shot of espresso free

Houston Market, Houston Hall: Free small soda with any purchase between 4 and 8 p.m.

Burger Stop, Food Court at Commons: Late night breakfast from 8 p.m.-midnight (not free, but we hope they have home fries)

And we’re not quite sure what this means, but Einstein is hosting a “Red Bull Energy Break: Drop in and unwind in a bean bag with Wii video games and plasma TVs! Starting at 3 p.m. on 12/14 and 12/15.” So, you know, there’s that.

Penn gets rather benevolent during reading days, providing snacks and tutors and the like to us stressed-out undergrads. A tipster informs us that just like last semester, Houston is offering free fountain drinks after 4 p.m. for the next week.

Let us know about other finals time perks here.

Eat fresh. And now cheap... ish.

Penn Dining recently sent out an email ever-so-kindly pointing out meals to be had on-campus for under $6. (Which only makes the yearly meal plan push even harder to bite into.) I’m all for cheaper eats, but I do wonder what motivated the email. Is Subway concerned about our thinning wallets? Or has there been a drop-off in customers? But wouldn’t a college campus provide a steady customer base, even amidst economic woes? Or — gasp! — have we begun cooking?

All I know is that if Subway’s $5-foot long subs are here to stay, its awful jingle should have to go.

See Penn Dining’s deals after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »