Imagine yourself in between classes on a Monday morning.  You had plans, worked, or just plain procrastinated all weekend, so you had to do all of your homework last night.  You’re dragging because you only got 3 ½ hours of sleep.  You figure, “I should treat myself,” and head over to Common Grounds in the Forum for some coffee.  But right before you order, you decide to ask for your Beaver Bucks balance.  You’re broke. 

Buena Vista University offers several different meal plans, including: 

Marquee Plan– unlimited meals, 7 days per week + $50 Beaver points per semester  

10 Plan– any 10 meals, 7 days per week + $30 Beaver points per semester   

12 Plan– any 12 meals, 7 days per week +$175 Beaver points per semester                   

14 Plan- any 14 meals, 7 days per week + $175 Beaver points per semester  

Commuter Plan- (available to commuter students only)   

But what if we could decide how our meal plans worked for ourselves? 

As students, we already pay so much each semester for our meal plans with Beaver Bucks, yet, maybe you have a crazy schedule and you can only eat Sodexo in the Serve three days a week at lunch, and two nights a week at supper.  Is it really fair that we’re paying this much for our meal plan and that we can’t set our own limits for the Serve and for Beaver Bucks to be used at Common Grounds and Cru5h? 

Just last summer, Sodexo revised the meal plan options to the ones listed above.  What if we kept these new meal plans in place, but with the option to spend as much of our food money at Common Grounds or Cru5h as we wanted to?  Either way, we’re already spending our money, just in a different form.  Many may think, “Well, isn’t buying meals at Cru5h and getting items from the coffee shop going to be too expensive?  You’re going to hit your limit too fast.”  And yes, while these seem like expensive options, did you know that you’re already paying $10-$13 per meal at the Serve anyway?  Not $13 per day, $13 per meal. 

With my plan, if you do happen to go over your dollar limit, then it would be your responsibility to pay in cash or to add money to your account through the BVU Business Office or an online process.  This might be a more convenient path, since many cannot make meals in the Serve work, due to scheduling or dietary needs.  I think that students should be given more flexibility with their meal plans and Beaver Bucks options, and that this plan could be a solution!