<p>Hey everyone,
Im a college freshman and I almost love everything about my university: our academics, the campus, the friends Ive made, my dorm
however the only thing putting a damper on my experience is my overpriced food plan.
Basically, my university charges exorbitant fees for very little food. For example: the 21 a week meal plan is $3,800, the 14 is $3,300, and the 7 is $2,365. Each plan also comes with about 200 dollars of extra spending money. Mind you, this is just the cost of one semester. Im currently on the 7.
To be quite honest, Im mad at my school. They refuse to not let me have a meal plan and change to the $900 spending money for Café food and snacks, which would last me the whole semester and fulfill my dietary needs. I think its unfair that my university is forcing me into having my parents pay for food that makes me sick (I dont eat beef or chicken so that limits what main entrees are available to me, and sometimes the food I can eat is not cooked properly, like fish.) I also find the cost ridiculous, Im a low income student and my parents pay for my food plan out of pocket. Not only do I feel like I am getting financially jipped, If I switched to the 900 dollar food plan that would allow me to eat at campus cafes and purchase food at the campus supermarkets, I would be eating healthier because I could buy the fruits, veggies, nuts, snacks, microwavable meals which better suit my diet.
So basically what Im asking is if anyone has advice for me on appealing to my university on dropping my meal plan. Ive already emailed the office that manages meal plans, and they are directing me to talk to the schools dietician because they are at the moment refusing to let me drop the meal plan and think talking to a dietician will help me figure out what I can eat. I dont feel like my point is getting across though. The food isnt good, and they barely offer food that I can eat, so why am I paying money so much money for it?
Help? :/</p>
<p>Does everyone have to purchase a meal plan, or is it only required freshman year?</p>
<p>You have my sympathy, but that’s all I can give. Universities have a lot of overhead to cover, including but not limited to paying the president’s salary. When they have a captive audience (that would be you) they take advantage by forcing you to pay premium rates for food, and don’t forget housing. </p>
<p>I still remember… and this was 40 years ago, when I lived at the dorm at State University, the food made my stomach upset…er, it gave me pretty much the runs most of the time. I would go home for a weekend and by Sunday I was fine; back to school and… same thing. It tasted ok, and I didn’t mind eating it, but it definitely did not agree with my stomach. Fast forward to today, and my son orders the “declining balance” meal plan, which is just putting money on a card he can use. Well, they just changed the tax laws to tax these meal plans, so there is absolutely no advantage to doing this, so I told him to cancel his meal plan. He is an upperclassman living off campus so the meal plan is optional.</p>
<p>It’s required I be on the meal plan freshman year AND sophomore year, because I have to live in the dorms both freshman and sophomore year. The plan I’m proposing being switched to is a plan they offer students who live in off-campus apartments (so juniors and seniors).</p>
<p>So this is something that I have to not only deal with in my upcoming spring semester, but the whole next year as well.</p>
<p>This is the policy of the university. When you enrolled, you KNEW that you were require to live in the dorms for two years AND purchase a meal plan for those,who LIVE in the dorms. </p>
<p>That is their policy.</p>
<p>Don’t they offer a salad bar at lunch and dinner? </p>
<p>I hope the dietician will be helpful. D1 is a vegetarian by choice and gluten-free by necessity. She was having lots of problems finding a balanced meal her first semester and after speaking with the dietician, discovered they provided gluten-free foods by request, including pizza. (She had to ask the duty manager when she swiped in and it took about 10 minutes to prepare, so she would have a salad). We figured out it was Amy brand food, which is high quality. This immediately improved her dining experience.</p>
<p>They offer a salad bar at lunch and dinner, however it varies if it is fresh or not. Hopefully the dietician will help, maybe she can discuss other food options I don’t know about. </p>
<p>I understand that it’s university policy I be on a plan, I just didn’t know the food would be so unsatisfactory for the cost we pay. Our university claims breakfast is $9, lunch is $14, and dinner is $17. Why am I being forced to pay $2,400 a semester for only 7 meals a week?? I could eat on a quarter of that for the whole semester.</p>
<p>Polar…when you a pay for a meal plan, you are NOT just paying for the food. You are paying for the overhead as well. This includes the employees who prepare the food, the facilities, the utilities, the dishes you eat off of, the pots and pans used to cook and serve, the appliances, etc.</p>
<p>It is NOT just the food.</p>
<p>Buffet-style cafetarias, despite their high cost, can also run at a loss. There’s a lot of theft that happens (of food, silverware, dishes, etc.) and they’re often unable to predict how many students will walk through the door (which may lead to overpreparing and waste). The upfront cost paid at the beginning of the semester guarentees the vendor/dining hall a certain amount of money, which they can then use.</p>
<p>I know thumper… the point is I’m not eating any of the food anyway, and swipes go unused, or if they do get used, I’m swiping for salads, or fruit. That does not cost what I’m being charged. </p>
<p>This is just another example of universities sadly becoming “businesses”.</p>
<p>Polarbits -</p>
<p>What you are complaining about is not “just another example of universities sadly becoming ‘businesses’”. It is a function of colleges and universities offering residences and meal services for their students, and your issues have been around for as long as those services have been offered. Yes you are unhappy with having to pay for meals that you aren’t eating, but you are able to choose the number that you contract for. Back in the last century when I was in college, there was one and only one meal plan available at my college. We all paid for 20 meals each week (Sunday offered brunch rather than breakfast and lunch) and the food was absolutely inedible for some of the students.</p>
<p>Your best bet is to sit down with the Nutritionist. That person will help you figure out to get the best value for your money out of the meal plan. Who knows? Perhaps the Nutritionist will be able to get the cooks to fix some things just for you.</p>
<p>Polar - Are you receiving any financial aid? If yes, then the bottom line costs are probably no different for $3800 meal plan or a much cheaper amount.</p>
<p>It does seem high as $17x7x15 (weeks in the semester) would be $1785, plus you said you get $200 in free spending money so ~$2000. But it is what it is. You agreed to it.</p>
<p>Meet with the dietician and see what she can do. Maybe they have packaged food like yogurt that you can get if you are getting sick and you think it is from the salad bar.They also may be unaware that there are so many vegetarians and they may be able to add menu items if enough of you ask for them. My daughter is a vegetarian and yes, I’ll be paying a lot for salad but we know that going in. We’re also picking the lowest required food plan and we’ll load her up with granola bars and snacks to take for lunches.</p>
<p>Many schools require full meal plans of freshmen because they want them socializing in the dining halls and they don’t want them actually cooking in the dorms. A microwave meal every day is NOT a good diet.</p>
<p>DS pays a lot for his meal plan as well. I believe that, at his school, if a student lives in the dorm, he is required to buy the meal plan.</p>
<p>Looking at the issue from another (somewhat weird) point of view, if we compared the food price between where we (used to) live and where the school is located, the cost of living is different (coastal area vs inland). Also, the labor cost is also drastically different. To put it bluntly, in one area near where we used to live, the low labor cost of many illegal immigrants likely depresses the price, while in another area where the school is, the school needs to deal with unionized workers. Some may blame the inefficiency of the school’s administrators. But it may be not as simple as that. Look at the issue from the positive POV: let those families who can afford to send their offsprings to college “subsidize” the life of the fellow americans who are lower in the socioeconomic rank.</p>
<p>There is a reason why most financially challenged graduate students mostly live off-campus. But as a recent graduate student I know of said: the transition from the undergraduate student’s life to the graduate student’s life is a big “step down” in the quality of living arrangement.</p>
<p>unfortunately, food services at college are extremely expensive – much more expensive than other ‘cafeterias’. Part of that is due to the operation, and part is due to the high (“living”) wages that colleges tend to pay their food workers.</p>
<p>A one-size-fits-all Frosh dorm plan means that the lite eaters subsidize the heavy eaters.</p>
<p>Yes, it makes it difficult for the low income, but that is what it is.</p>
<p>Many universities feel that socializing with other students is an essential part of the university experience. They hope by having meals on campus you will get to know students outside your immediate discipline(s). It’s more than just food you are paying for.</p>
<p>All schools require meal plans for at least the first year so students eat balanced meals. I imagine if the food was that bad all the students would complain. Fruit, vegetables, etc are pretty standard at all schools sounds like you just need to adjust.</p>
<p>Whatever school S1 will attend will lose money on him in the cafeteria!</p>
<p>What are your “dietary needs”?</p>
<p>I’m sorry you are experiencing dissatisfaction with your university’s food service. But like other posters, availability of food types is something to consider when looking at schools. It’s #1 on my D’s list when reviewing schools, as she goes back & forth between vegan and ovo-vegetarian. If she cannot find entrees or a means to create an entree that can eat at every meal, the school is off the list. All of the schools so far offer fresh fruit at every meal, vegetarian and or vegan during two or more meal times. </p>
<p>Can you get a physician to write a letter that the $900 meal plan meets your dietary needs and that you are undernourished with the other plans?</p>