Choosing the right meal plan

When freshmen begin their college careers in the fall, they’ll have a new way to do business with their dorm food courts. Beginning in the fall of 2008, meal points will become “I-BUCKS.” There will be two different categories of meal plans: the Cream plan and the Crimson plan. Sandra Fowler, Residential Programs and Services director of dining services, said new students may choose one of three different meal plans within the Cream plan, which are: the “Max” plan, which will give students 1,920 I-BUCKS that equal to $3,600; the “Plus” plan, which gives students 1,520 I-BUCKS that equal $3,200; and the “Standard” plan, which gives students 1,120 I-BUCKS that equal $2,800.

Returning students may choose from any of the three aforementioned plans or purchase the Mini plan, which consists of 880 I-BUCKS that are equal to $2,200. Fowler said the I-BUCK is worth a different amount of money depending on what plan students choose.

The RPS Web site lists third- and fourth-year returning students or residents of Willkie Residence Center, Mason Hall, Hillcrest Apartments and off-campus students as eligible to choose from the Cream plans or the Crimson plan, which allows students to purchase 400 I-BUCKS, equal to $500 in meal points.

“If you have a Cream plan and your bill is $10, it’s going to charge you four I-BUCKS, which is a 60 percent discount,” Fowler said. “If you have a Crimson plan and your bill is $10, you’ll be charged 7.50 in I-BUCKS, a 25 percent discount.”

Fowler said all I-BUCKS will be discounted when sold. The Cream I-BUCKS are discounted at 60 percent and the Crimson I-BUCKS are discounted at 25 percent.
Fowler also stated that the more students use this system, the more they would benefit from a money standpoint.

The switch to this new system was well-thought-out, Fowler said.

“Many other schools have found this system to be very popular. Penn State has a similar system, as does Wisconsin and Washington State. ... They’ve all had success with this system.”

The new system may take some getting used to, but Fowler remains optimistic. “The Meal Plan Committee is excited. I think the new plan will be a success,” she said.

Joseph Arellano, an IU junior, said he had the plan with the least number of meal points as a freshman and still had $500 in meal points left over at the end of the year.

“I hated the fact that only half of the meal points rolled over from semester to semester,” he said. “It felt like you lost out on money if you didn’t spend all of your meal points that semester.”

Fowler said that as a result points left over at the end of spring semester will roll over to the fall, continuing through the calendar year. However, “they won’t roll over forever,” she said.

The RPS Web site acknowledges the fact that many students may find it difficult to keep track of their meal points at times. Therefore, they’ve given some tips on how to stretch meal points so they last through each semester. One idea is for students to create a pantry or keep a small refrigerator in their rooms to store soft drinks, snacks and nonperishable items.

Stretching meal points can also go a long way in helping keep off the dreaded “Freshman 15.” According to RPS, it’s better to choose fresh fruit instead of fruit juice when dining. For breakfast, buying hot or cold cereals to eat in the comfort of your dorm room can help save you time and money while you consume the most important meal of the day.