A matter of choice

Andrew Dahlen is the Union Board president.

Justin Kingsolver is the IUSA Congress speaker of the house.


The goal of expanding the existing campus meal plan to include the Indiana Memorial Union and Wells Library is simple: providing students a choice in where they can use their campus meal plan.

Student dissatisfaction and frustrations have persisted for years due to the lack of options. It is time for a change. Tonight, RHA has an opportunity to support this change.

After discussing the issue since January, we are incredibly close to reaching an agreement for students. Every possible indicator – University reports, surveys, polls, forums and student organizational support – has demonstrated that expanded meal plan options are necessary for the improvement of campus life. The Union Board-sponsored resolution, supporting the concept for expanded meal plan options in the IMU and Library, has been approved by the IUSA Congress and a host of other student organizations.

The potential agreement simultaneously addresses student frustrations and has exceptionally minimal impact on the administrative functions and financial security of RPS and the IMU. The details of the proposal are below:

• Choice. $300 optional add-on in addition to whichever RPS I-BUCKS Plan selected. When incoming and current students select their meal plan, the contract will have this as an optional addition. All vendors in the IMU (Starbucks, Sugar and Spice, the Marketplace, Burger King, etc.) and the Cybercafe in the Wells Library will accept these funds. The add-on also does not force students to pay additional money – it merely provides a choice.

• Flexibility. These funds would be 100 percent refundable at any time and 100 percent rollover between semesters and academic years.

• Savings. 5 percent discount in the IMU and Wells Library locations.
Incorporating an IMU and Wells Library meal plan option into the existing RPS registration process is a small, but pivotal step to easing student dissatisfaction. This option gives students a choice in their campus meal plan options; something currently prohibited.

It also streamlines the stressful registration process for incoming students, so they immediately know this is an option if they so choose.

Finally, the current proposal effectively balances substantive change for campus meal plan options and the administrative and financial concerns of RPS. While it is not the perfect solution, the framework for this proposal is the only viable, short-term solution.
RHA has taken effective steps to ensure this proposal is something students would want and that RPS would not be negatively affected. It should provide them comfort to know the present proposal is nearly identical to the campus meal plan options from 2000-2003.

On average, 4,400 residence hall students – about 50 percent – enrolled in the option each year it was available. RPS did not lose money, the IMU was able to manage the influx of people and most importantly, students were pleased.

There is no required added cost for students. There is no concern for loss of revenue.
There is no risk – only an opportunity to help address student needs on campus and repair the currently broken system.