By: Claire McKenna
Staff-Writer
Starting next semester, IU South Bend is implementing a meal plan for housing residents. The new plan consists of three tiers. Currently, there isn’t a meal plan; housing students get $300 from their housing fees that they can use on meals on campus.
The Base Tier, which is what housing students get automatically with their housing fees, is $400 per semester. This is $100 more than students in housing are currently getting.
The next tier is called the Cream Tier and includes $600 per semester. To change to this tier, housing students will have to pay a fee of $175 each semester, and the university will cover $25 per semester.
The Red Tier includes $800 per semester and has a fee of $350 each semester. The university will cover $50 per semester for housing students.
Money that isn’t used up by the end of the fall semester will roll over into the spring semester, but any remaining balance by the end of the spring semester will disappear.
The Base Tier cost will be included in housing fees, and any extra fees for switching to a higher tier will be billed to their Bursar account. Students are allowed to switch tiers, going up or down, but must wait until the next semester to do so. Students can also use financial aid to help pay for their meal plan.
Scott Strittmatter, director of housing and student life, said there hasn’t been a meal plan because there wasn’t enough demand.
“Housing and I, we have been big supporters of the idea of expanding our food options for our residents,” Strittmatter said. “This is something we’ve been trying to do but it couldn’t happen until we could show the demand. We know that this is something that is going to be helpful.”
They were able to present proof of demand to administrators in Fiscal Affairs and finally get the plan started.
“The University and Housing want to make it easier for students to access food services on campus. People have been asking for increased amounts and we were able to do that with the creation of a tiered meal plan system,” Loni Oehlwein, the Assistant Director of Housing stated in an email.
“We’re really hoping this helps student engagement as well,” Strittmatter said.
Along with the meal plans, the Community Building will be getting a mini market where students can use their dining dollars. The market will be ready in the fall, and if you have any suggestions about what kind of items will be there, you give suggestions to housing staff. If you have any questions or suggestions about the meal plans or the mini market, you can direct them to housing staff.
