Petition Against the New Meal Plan-Miami University 2016

Parent of sophomore student as well as alumni as is my husband.

I am a parent that is not happy with the emphasis on buffet dining in the new meal plan. This new plan will cost me more money and most of the buffet swipes will not be used. We need a true minimum plan which does not assume students will eat 2x a day 7 days a week at a buffet and gives them more declining balance dollars.

Parent

As a student-athlete, I have practice in the morning, usually followed immediately by class, with some time for lunch while at the library, and practice in the evening, which may or may not allow me to eat at the buffet afterwards. Although I love Harris and Gardens, my packed schedule, in addition to most of my activities being far from a dining hall, doesn't allow for me to eat there as often as I would like. I will be living off-campus next year, but my entire team, many other students, and my sister (who will begin here next year) have schedules similar to mine. If I had to use this meal plan next year, my parents would have to pour additional money into the declining balance, while I might use 3 buffet swipes per week. The university would definitely be taking more money.

I am a parent of three students currently at Miami.

The new meal plan options do not fit the eating habits of my son, who lives in a dorm but rarely uses the buffet options. Rather, he often visits a la carte locations that fit better with his schedule and proximity to his dorm and his classes. He reports that the behavior of many of his student colleagues is the same. This suggests that students will be left with a significant number of unused buffet swipes, and because they are not refundable or transferable across semesters, the unused swipes provide additional revenue to the university with no value added in return to the students. I question whether proper research was carried out to assess the true meal behavior of students, or if the actual intent was to create a meal plan knowing that many student will be left with be unused swipes, therefore guaranteeing additional revenue to the university. More transparency about the actual meal plan costs should have been communicated to students if the unused swipes are subsidizing the cost to provide meals to the student body.

I am a student here and I am very upset with this change that the university is attempting to set forth.

This meal plan is perhaps the most impractical, least student-friendly policy I've ever seen this University put out. As a Senior, I can't save myself from it, but hopefully the University will recognize the error of its ways for future students.

Keep the same meal plan! Don't change it!!

I would rather spend at a little more and know that the plan offers convenience and flexibility for my student and meets the needs of their busy lifestyle. If it costs less, but is wasted, what truly is the savings?

I am a parent

This is a very restrictive plan for my son who will be a sophomore in the fall. He is not near a buffet and he had only one choice. ...ugh

I am a Miami parent

I do not agree with the mandatory buffet meals and limited a la carte. Completely non beneficial for the students. Parent of a current student.

This is unexceptable, considering the high cost of school fees that we are paying already.

It doesn't make sense to go to swipes. I have friends at other schools that have it and they hate it.

I am a MIami parent and am STRONGLY opposed to the new meal plan. As a tenured professor at a state university in a different state, I recognize the current financial climate and see this new plan for what it is - a transparent money grab at the expense of the students and their families. As the patent of a senior I see how different this new policy is and the total lack of practicality. Roll back the the current plan!!!

Parent of a rising sophomore. I don't feel the new meals are flexible enough to meet my student's needs.

Parent of 2 students and my husband and I are alumni. We would appreciate more flexibility to take advantage of a la carte locations on the new plan. Thank you for your efforts in this.

I am a parent of a rising Junior RA.