As Mavericks made their way back to campus this semester, they were greeted with some not-so-appetizing news: changes to meal plans.
While the policy shift was subtly introduced over the summer, its impact is hardly insignificant. Students were not notified, the school just adjusted the website. Last year, you could use three meal transfers per day with both Meal Plan A and Meal Plan B, now “Meal Plan A may use two meal transfers per day, and students on Meal Plan B may use one meal transfer per day.” Furthermore, “you may not use a transfer if you have swiped in to the dining hall during that same meal period.” Also, as returning students may have already noticed, we no longer have the option to grab a sandwich or yogurt meal transfer from Rowdy’s.
So, why these sudden changes? According to Director of Budget/Food Service Programs Whitney Sutton, the adjustments to the meal plans were primarily influenced by economic factors.
“So annually, we negotiate the contract–cost increases–we know inflation is going out the wall. We look at sales, accounts, platforms, and we’re looking at 8% inflation. We only increased the meal plans 3%,” Sutton said.
Essentially, the changes are an effort to strike a balance between keeping prices low (which is what the University wants) and making up for the money lost due to inflation (what Sodexo wants).
However, it’s not just a matter of dollars and cents. Sutton also hinted at another underlying reason for the policy change. Apparently, “some students have been abusing it [the meal transfers],” she mentioned, suggesting that misuse of the meal plans, or some students giving their transfers to friends, also played a role in the new limitations.
What’s intriguing here is most students, even those involved in ASG, had no clue that this was coming down the pipeline. For those who may not know, the school budget office often lets ASG and the student body know about what is going on regarding student fees/happenings on campus.
“I hadn’t noticed (the changes) until I went to RA training. That was where I got first word of it and I was like ‘wait, this is how you’re announcing it to the whole student body?’” ASG President Aleena Gomez said.
Many non-RA students found out about the changes the hard way—by being told they couldn’t use their transfers.
This brings us to an essential point: Colorado Mesa University (CMU) often professes its aim to “be a university that reflects the complexity and diversity of our country and honors the dignity of the individual people who comprise it.” Overall, CMU says it wants to create a university that understands the interconnectedness of our lives, and to give credit where it’s due, many aspects of life at CMU reflect this goal; it’s great to go to a college with diversity of opinions and people, and where your professors know you. However, the inconspicuous roll-out of the new meal policies doesn’t seem very “Human Scale.”
Let’s be clear, CMU reserves the right to make operational changes as it needs or sees fit. And yes, it’s more than likely that they have valid reasons—economic or otherwise—for the adjustments to the meal plans. Furthermore, they’re within their rights to make such changes without involving the Associated Student Government or the student body at large; that’s just how business works. Obviously, the staff and administration are knowledgeable and know more about running a university than us students.
However, the subtlety of the changes—particularly in an area as crucial as meal plans—can give current students the impression that CMU cares more about attracting new students than ‘nourishing’ the Mavericks that are already here. If shiny new buildings are going up (replacing our parking spots) while our daily food options are dwindling, it’s hard not to feel like an afterthought. While the issues are much more nuanced than many students understand, it’s evident that this is how many students feel.
So, while the university certainly has the operational freedom to make unilateral decisions, wouldn’t it align more closely with its values if students were given a heads-up about significant changes that impact their daily lives? If CMU is dedicated to honoring the “dignity of individual people,” a simple email notifying students could go a long way in demonstrating it. It’s a small but meaningful step that could significantly improve the sense that CMU not only values potential future Mavericks but cherishes those who are already here.
