SLIPPERY ROCK — The days of eating on the cheap at college via cases of Ramen noodles or macaroni and cheese are over, as campuses cater to students of all needs and habits.

Debra Pincek, assistant to the vice-president for student life administration at Slippery Rock University, said students will experience all-new and updated dining choices this fall.

Pincek said the university is in the midst of acting on the food services master plan approved in 2006 by renovating the Boozel Hall dining facility. The extensive renovations, updates and new dining concepts became available to students in January 2009, when the new Boozel Hall opened.

Pincek said Boozel Hall became the main dining hall on campus with the recent addition of several student residence halls. She said the facility was completely gutted and outfitted with a new design including a "scatter system," in which students come through the front door then decide which food station they will choose.

Examples of the more modern food selections include a rotisserie, a smoker for the hand-cut meats provided for students, a dessert station with minutes-old warm cookies and a grill station, where for an extra few dollars students can choose a steak to be grilled. An exhibition area at Boozel sees cooks preparing omelets, stir-fry and other made-to-order type foods that allow students to hand-select the ingredients.

An innovative addition in the new Boozel Hall is the food-intolerance line, where vegetarians or students with special dietary needs can choose meals. Gluten-, fat-, and sugar-free items are available along with soy products for lactose-intolerant students.

"Students who know how to manage their issues can come through that line," said Pincek.

She said athletes and bodybuilders also use the food-intolerance line to get high-protein, low-fat items that will enhance their fitness plans.

"We were the first school in the 14-school state system to do that," said Pincek.

Boozel hall's hours have expanded to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and "Boozel Express" is available to students who feel peckish after the dining hall has closed. There, students can grab meals to go until 10 p.m.

Phase two of the master plan will see the renovation of Weisenfluh dining hall. The facility will close in spring 2011 and should reopen in late fall.

Pincek said new concepts like Pan-Asian, Mediterranean, and upscale Mexican foods will be offered at the new facility, as will a bakery/coffee shop, an upscale grill with hand-formed burgers made of beef, turkey or legumes.

A special baking machine will produce fries that look and taste like the deep-fried variety, but will not contain artery-clogging fat. Pincek said regular and sweet potato fries will be available at the new Weisenfluh.

Another part of the food services master plan includes a T&B Natural coffee shop in the campus' main library, where students can get organic products in addition to coffee and tea.

Also, an all-new Rocky's Grill will be available in the student union once construction is complete. There, Pincek said students will find a new food service concept where they can get the standard fare plus chopped salads and other innovative cuisine.

Coffee aficionados will also find a Starbucks in the new student union.

But perhaps the most unique and anticipated addition to the student union next fall is a Quaker Steak and Lube restaurant. Pincek said an abbreviated menu including wings, burgers, salads and sandwiches will be available.

"It's the first Quaker Steak and Lube to be opened on a college campus," Pincek said.

She said students can use their student identification cards at all food service facilities on campus.

Regarding cost, Pincek said food services is a self-contained business that is not included in the university's budget, so costs for utilities, maintenance, contractors, and all food items are included in the meal-plan fees. She said all students living in residence halls are required to have a meal plan, but students and their families can choose from 13 different plans.

The most extensive is the unlimited plan, where students can access the dining halls or any on-campus venue as often as they like. That plan is $1,606 per semester.

A $1,460 plan allows students 15 meals a week and sets aside $225 in a flex fund account for use in coffee shops, snack venues and delivery of food to residence halls.

Block plans are also available, in which parents and students can pick the number of meals available per semester. The least expensive block plan costs $763 per semester for 75 meals plus a flex fund account of $50.

Pincek said all food at the university except Quaker Steak and Lube is provided through AVI Food Services of Warren, Ohio.

She said her office keeps close tabs on students' opinions.

"We want the students to be happy," Pincek said. "Academics are primary, but they need to be happy while they're here."

Pincek said she is very excited about the changes taking place. "People ask me 'When are you going to retire?'" she said, "but I'm going to stick around until I see all this come to fruition."