Dear prospective student,
Welcome to University of Wisconsin-Madison! As you begin the process of deciding if you’ll be attending school here, a large group of concerned students and alumni have some important information regarding a new mandatory meal plan that may impact your decision.
Recently, University Housing implemented a new mandatory meal plan for all incoming students living in residence halls. All incoming students will be forced to pay at minimum $1400 into their Wiscard accounts, money that can only be spent in University Housing dining halls, Wisconsin Union venues and Badger Markets around campus. This is an additional $1,400 on top of the current cost of tuition, housing, books and more. The $1,400 minimum is considered “Tier 1” in a three-tiered meal plan policy, which rewards students in higher tiers who are able to afford it.
University Housing made this decision without consent or discussion from the student body. The public did not learn about this policy through an official statement, but through an article published in the Daily Cardinal, a campus newspaper, in December 2017. The lack of transparency with current students has made us concerned about the University’s transparency with prospective students. We want to make sure you are well-informed about this new financial policy as you make your college decision.
This op-ed was written by a wide coalition of students who believe this mandatory meal plan makes it more difficult for low-income students, students with personal or religious dietary restrictions and health-related dietary restrictions to attend our University. We want to make sure that prospective students are aware of this change and its impacts.
For years, UW-Madison students have enjoyed no-minimum Wiscard deposits, which allowed students the freedom to pay for food only if and when they chose to eat in dining facilities. But now, with a mandatory $1,400 deposit, these students no longer have autonomy to decide what, how and where they will eat. Many current students have expressed that, had this policy been in place during their first year, they would not have been able to attend UW-Madison. As students and alumni concerned with the well-being of our incoming student body, we want you to know about this policy before you decide on University of Wisconsin-Madison.
CONCERNS FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
Living in the residence halls is costly. In the past, the cheapest residence hall cost a little over $8,000/academic year (eight months). Now, with the mandatory meal plan included, the cheapest residence arrangement at $9,530/academic year for a spot in a “triple”, sharing a room with two other students. For many families, this cost is prohibitive, making it difficult or even impossible for students to enjoy the formative experiences and friendships formed in first-year residence hall communities.
For many students living in housing, despite a residence hall discount, dining hall food is still too expensive. It has been significantly more economical to cook for themselves or purchase food from other places rather than the dining halls. Now, with a mandatory $1400 payment on top of the cost of housing, students can no longer choose to make money-saving decisions regarding where and how they eat.
The university has revealed little information about how this policy interacts with financial aid. The only information listed on the University Housing website as of Feb. 25, 2018, regarding Financial Aid is as follows: “With our meal plans, the money for food purchases is included in the quarterly room and board bills, which can be paid with financial aid. For residents paying with financial aid, the money for food will still be loaded on their Resident Food Account in advance before the start of the semester.” However, since the meal plan’s unveiling, there has been no increase in funding to the Office of Financial Aid, which already struggles to meet students’ needs. While some of the costs may be covered in financial aid packages, ultimately a $1400 increase in the cost of living lands on hard-working families.
University Housing has reported that scholarships that cover tuition will now cover the meal plan as well, but has not clarified which specific scholarships. Since there has been no increase in financial aid funding, students are not certain if this means that less students will receive scholarships altogether. For students and families who are hoping to receive scholarships or financial aid, the new meal plan increases the overall cost of living at UW-Madison and may even decrease the ability to receive needed funds, requiring them to take out larger loans just to cover the cost of dining. There is no clear way to opt-out of this meal plan on financial grounds.
CONCERNS FOR STUDENTS WITH PERSONAL & HEALTH-RELATED DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
Though the dining halls boast a wide selection of meal options, many students with dietary restrictions both medical (allergies, celiac, lactose-intolerance, etc.) and personal (vegetarian, vegan, etc.) find their choices severely limited. If a student has dietary restrictions or serious food allergies, navigating the dining halls is especially difficult. The mandatory meal plan requires all students, regardless of dietary needs, to pay $1400 for food they may not necessarily be able to eat. While UW-Madison has a designated dietician to assist students with health-related dietary restrictions and create specially prepared meals, the process is time-consuming and unclear. The option for opting out for dietary reasons is not visible on the campus dining website. For many students with dietary restrictions, the option to cook or buy one’s own meals was more efficient and cost-effective than consulting the dietician.
CONCERNS FOR STUDENTS WITH RELIGIOUS DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
Students with religious dietary restrictions share many of the same concerns as those with personal & health-related dietary restrictions. There are very few options offered for students who observe halal and keep kosher. Though University Housing has suggested that Jewish students who keep kosher can pick up to-go meals prepared by the kosher Adamah kitchen, the variety of meals offered is slim and significantly more expensive than average dining hall fare. The UW Center for Religion and Global Citizenry has openly opposed the meal plan on these grounds. The process for opting out for religious reasons is not visible on the campus dining website, making it difficult and unclear.
We believe this issues affects all students and families, past, present and future. If you would like to get in contact with students concerned with this issue and currently working to change the mandatory meal plan policy, send an email to nomealplanuw@gmail.com or follow the movement, read editorials and more on the Facebook page, “Oppose the UW-Madison Mandatory Meal Plan”.
If you have questions or comments about the new mandatory meal plan, reach out to the following administrators:
University Housing Director Jeff Novak: jeff.novak@housing.wisc.edu
Dining and Culinary Services Director Peter Testory: peter.testory@housing.wisc.edu
Chancellor Rebecca Blank: chancellor@news.wisc.edu
Would the proposed meal plan have affected your decision to come to Wisconsin? Send any questions or comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
