The University of Winnipeg aims to enrich its students’ experience by introducing a suite of premium benefits that offers extra in-class conveniences such as reserved seating, snack service, and more leg room. Modeled on the airline industry’s successful approach to monetizing add-ons, UWinnipeg’s new Amenities-Plus Program (A-Plus) will be launched in the coming weeks to coincide with the start of Spring Term.
Beginning in May, UWinnipeg students can pay a premium to pre-select the classroom seats that best suit their individual needs — whether that is stretching out for comfort (aisle), suppressing attention when arriving late or making an emergency exit (close to the door), enjoying an unobstructed view of the instructor (front row), or minimizing eye contact with professors to avoid unwanted interaction (back of room).
“Those freewheeling days of picking the best spot just because you arrived early to class are over,” said Mike Emslie, Associate Vice-President of Finance at UWinnipeg. “No more saving a seat for your friend, either. If you want to sit together, you pay five bucks for that privilege. Each.”
The new conveniences will be made available to students for à la carte purchase and via themed value bundles, such as “The Earlybird” — which includes reserved seating in an 8:30 a.m. course section, a courtesy wake-up call or text message from the University, plus an organic, free-range scrambled egg breakfast wrap made by Diversity Foods.
For $99 per year, UWinnipeg students can purchase an A-Plus membership card, which comes with a host of elite-level benefits, including first crack at registering for the most desirable course section times and one free carry-in bag or personal item. Starting in the fall term, non-members will have to pay $2.50 to bring a backpack, handbag, or briefcase to class (maximum size: 23 cm x 40 cm x 55 cm).
To assist students in complying with the new regulations, baggage gauges will be placed outside of all classrooms. Size restrictions will be enforced by professors, who will also administer an in-class snack service featuring a menu of healthy selections. UWinnipeg’s A-Plus program will kick off with a 20% introductory discount; full-pricing comes into effect in September.
HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY!
But seriously…you can purchase a seat on campus — via the Wesmen Bleacher Seat Sale!
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Rosen, Executive Director, Marketing & Communications
T: 204.786.9381 E: k.rosen@uwinnipeg.ca
