Wars have been fought to guarantee personal autonomy and the ability to make their own decisions. Commerce is deeply intertwined with this concept, being that it is one of the foremost features of the free-market economy that we exist within today. It is generally assumed, rightfully so, that adults can decide how to spend the income they earn on whatever they deem important or desirable. There is no authority directing an individual’s day-to-day purchases or large investments. This ability is reserved and enjoyed by all people . . . except for college students. Allow me to explain.
I call into question the dining service’s decision to alter the meal plans for this upcoming fall semester. For the edification of those reading, the various meal plans that are available to students are defined by the amount of dining dollars, and meal equivalencies a student is able to use. Dining dollars are funds loaded onto a student’s ID card, usable at any campus location except the bookstore, for purchasing food or snacks. Meal equivalencies allow students to redeem one complete meal per equivalency, typically comprising an entree, side, and drink, with plan prices ranging from $2,352 for the lowest-end meal plan, to $3,183 for the highest-end meal plan.
I would first like to highlight the construction of these. Each offers a different level of autonomy for students. The United States Dollar provides the highest degree of autonomy, allowing students to spend their money on or off-campus as they see fit, including the option to save. Following this, dining dollars offer a degree of flexibility but restrict spending to on-campus locations. Despite this limitation,
students can still choose how and when to spend these funds throughout the day, affording them some level of freedom. However, meal equivalencies are the most restrictive, limiting students to specific meal combinations and usage, thus severely curtailing their autonomy.
Furthermore, recent changes have further constrained the use of meal equivalencies. Previously, students could freely allocate their meal equivalencies throughout the week, deciding when, where, and how to utilize them. This is sadly no longer the case, students are now only allowed to use one (1) meal equivalency per meal period. The meal periods are as follows. Breakfast 7am – 10:30am, Lunch 11am – 2pm, and Dinner 4pm – 10pm. This exacerbates the limitations on student autonomy and undermines their ability to make independent choices.
The impending change facing Uhart students involves a decision to reduce the option that grants more freedom, namely, decreasing the amount of dining dollars available to students, while simultaneously increasing the option that provides little autonomy, namely, adding meal equivalencies. This prompts the question: What is the rationale behind increasing meal equivalencies if they are so restricted in terms of the amount a student can use and the times at which they can use them? College students are fully capable of managing their finances and making decisions about their meals without the need for unnecessary restrictions. This issue is fundamentally about advocating for student autonomy and ensuring their freedom to choose.
