Let me clarify and explain why, in my opinion, the mandatory meal plan idea has good intentions but has bad results. The following statement is mostly about myself, because I can only speak for myself and maybe a little bit about the many students who have emailed me with their concerns. I, like the predominate majority of students, am a commuter. I am in at work from 8-12, class 12-3 and work from 3-5. I do not have a break for lunch and many students don't for two reasons: they are working through lunch to pay for their education or they are attending class because UAB does not have a "dead hour" from noon to one like every other university. Also, many of us commute not because we like it, but because it is the best way to afford a college education. Money is tight. Many friends I know work full-time and school full-time in order to live their dreams one day.
Enter into the equation a mandatory meal plan, that affects not just commuters, but on-campus students as well. Some of you have stated that the students should no be griping because no one griped about other fees before. That is a very broad and general statement. I arrived at UAB after the Rec Center was in place, therefore any protest was too late. To those of you who have had to pay rec center and other fees, I agree with you, it is unjust if you do not make use of it. However, if you didn't do anything to advocate your position against paying these fees, that is your problem. Also, each year students at UAB and across the state protest the increases in tuition and underfunding of higher education in March on the capitol steps for Higher Education Day. Also, as Blazer85 stated, tuition and fees are necessary for and education- that's why I'm at college, not to fund a Dining Hall. Unfortunately, politicians are not to receptive, but that's another story. When I arrived at UAB, no mention of a mandatory meal plan had occured. It wasn't until a full year and a half later that I heard the rumors of one, so I investigated it, found out the opinion of students, and decided to advocate against several issues of the plan.
$225 may not sound like a lot for a commuter to pay, but factor this in: Did you have to pay nearly $3 a gallon in gas to commute 50 miles (more for others) back and forth to campus? Did you have to pay anywhere near the same amount of tution? (Bear in mind tuition in Alabama has gone up every year for the past decade) $225 for me, is nearly two weeks pay for me. Since I still live with the parents, I am fortunate to not have to pay for other necessities. However, that still is a blow to me because every bit of my paycheck goes to pay for tuition. Can you imagine how much of a dent$225 can make to a student living in an apartment (those don't come cheap)? Let's not forget those who live on-campus. Freshmen must invest at least $1570 into the cheapest meal plan (they can only purchase options 1-3 as a first-year student). Money doesn't grow on trees and the majority of students don't have Daddy to pay for college or have the ACT score to land a big scholarship.
I am NOT and advocate against UAB growing and prospering, I simply wish that common sense and strategic planning that focused on STUDENT NEEDS. For example, if we want to make UAB more like a traditional campus then let's do it in a step by step process. Why not build a Student Union Building first? This would give commuter students with an hour or two to kill to have a place to hang out and perhaps develop an interest for living on campus. Obviously, we need more dorms, which the university is trying to resolve but until we develop a substantial amount of on-campus students, required meal plans are illogical since the majority of the students will not use them. UAB is not your usual campus, and that is attractive to many students out there that want an alternative to Alabama or Auburn. Do we really want to turn off those students?
What do I advocate and why? I became a member of the USGA this past spring. I'll be the first to state how angry I am at the state it is in. That is why I became active by joining the USGA. I didn't have any idea about the meal plan policy until two or three months ago when I heard a student rumor about it. I asked the administration about it and was pointed to a small blurb in the student handbook that gave no details as to the cost and who it would/would not apply to, etc. Next, I wrote a column in the Kaleidoscope asking when the administration was going to publicize this information and the details about the meal plan since students had only a vague rumor to go by. Since my job is to represent the students, I asked questions and wanted to know when this plan was to go into affect. To my astonishment, I found out the contract had been signed and it was a done deal.
On-campus focus groups that took place in residence halls (that limits commuter input) and surveys were supposedly given out several years ago. I've been told that these surveys reflected a need in a new dining facility. However, the requirement of a meal plan was not discussed, nor which students would have to pay. Furthermore, while the USGA President was appointed to the administrative group that planned the meal plans, several of his suggestions and modifications were shot down. What astonishes me is that the Senate of the USGA- the official voice of the students- was not included in any discussions or given the right to vote on provisions of any mandatory meal plan. How can the USGA Senate be held accountable when we are put in the dark and are just as surprised to learn about this plan as the rest of the student body? Since the Senate was not given any voice on the matter, this plan is taxation without representation. Alabama's meal plan has been brought up. At Alabama and Auburn, both of their SGA's were involved in the planning and executing of a plan that would benefit all. At JSU, their SGA is developing the ENTIRE meal plan. Not to mention all those campuses have an overwhelming majority of on-campus students, the complete opposite of UAB's current stituation. It is disgusting that the administration would not include the USGA Senate for their approval/suggestions. If we can't speak for the students then what is our purpose? The students might as well elect a single representative if the Senate is not going to be consulted for such a major financial matter that will affect the students.
On top of all this, the reason why a mandatory meal plan is being put in place is because SODEXO (the new food service provider) wanted a guarantee of making a profit. That's why the university is making meal plans mandatory, so that we, the students will be required to spend our money on-campus buying SODEXO's food, thus guranteeing a profit for them. Students feel that this plan is wrong because it strips away their right of choice. After all, who needs a $6 block meal when ramen noodles can be bought a dime a dozen? Why is there no waiver system for married students with families who have to provide for others? What about students taking online classes that don't live in this state? What about commuter from Huntsville who drive two hours one way to go to class? What about the fact that students that drop fulltime to parttime status will save money, thus making UAB more non-traditional? And the list goes on.
Probably the biggest complaint to students is the seemingly "underhandness" that this mandatory meal plan has been put into effect. Students had no idea about it until I wrote a column, prompting the administration to create a website. How long was the administration planning on waiting? Why aren't any town hall meetings going to be held to answer students questions that the website provokes. It's a lot easier for a human to explain a new policy than a website. Students have no idea what is going on and that is unfair to them. Plus, if students are going to be charged something new, they need to be given enough forewarning to prepare for it. Students are also angry at the fact that the administration signed the contract without their consent (that goes back to the lack of town hall meetings and lack of allowing the invovlement of the USGA Senate). ST.Louis, you stated that perhaps commuters have never been given good options. That is the crux of the matter. There have always been options for eating on campus, now the administration is taking the choice of using those options away and making it mandatory. Every student wants UAB to change into a better place, but do so with the student's consent. This plan is flawed because it doesn't address student concerns. Many students ask, "Why are we building a dining facility when the need for more parking decks is so much more important?"
Finally, I created a petition at the suggestion of several students so that we can show the administration our concerns and get answers. Within one week it has more signatures that students who have voted in the two previous USGA elections. I am here to be active and to bridge the communication gap between students and the administration. I am not going to just sit back and complain, I will act and do so on the behalf of the many students who have emailed me and signed the petition. I agree that several fees that are charged students are unresonable, but I was not here to advocate for the students then. Now I am. Even if a darn thing isn't done to solve the numerous problems with the meal plan, the students must voice their opinion, else what is to prevent the administration from thinking that it can raise fees whenever they want? That is why I must stand up, else we will always be bypassed and runned over. It is my duty as a senator to make the USGA an active, and effective voice of the students, else why even have it?
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OT: Meal Plans
