Petition for a More Flexible and Fair Meal Plan Option

Hello, our names are Lauren Ervin (’28) and Lauren Flowers (27’) and we are current students at Dickinson College. We are joining many other students in advocating for a more flexible and fairly priced meal plan—especially for those of us living in campus housing with kitchens.

Currently, students in apartment-style housing are required to purchase a full meal plan costing approximately $9,050 per year, despite also paying additional housing fees for fully equipped kitchens. This creates a clear financial imbalance: we are paying both for the ability to cook independently and for a dining plan that does not reflect how we actually eat.

While an “Apartment Flex Plan” exists, the current price reduction, only about $500 for the year (roughly 6%), is not enough to meaningfully offset the cost of buying groceries. For many students, that difference can be spent on groceries in just a few weeks. As a result, students who rely on their kitchens are still forced into an inflexible and expensive system that limits their ability to budget effectively.

We are advocating for the introduction of a more practical alternative: a revised apartment meal plan option, such as an “Any 10” plan. This plan would include fewer weekly meal swipes, allowing students to supplement campus dining with groceries. A moderate price reduction of approximately 40–50% would provide meaningful financial relief while still supporting dining services operations.

This change would:

• Allow students to better manage their food budgets by combining dining hall access with grocery shopping 
• Support healthier and more personalized eating habits
• Better accommodate diverse dietary needs without requiring formal accommodations
• Encourage independence and real-world budgeting skills, aligning with the college’s mission to prepare students for life after graduation

Additionally, on-campus retail options function primarily as convenience stores and do not provide affordable, high-quality groceries. As a result, many students already rely on off-campus grocery stores—making a more flexible meal plan not just beneficial, but necessary.

We understand that dining services must operate within financial and logistical constraints. That’s why we support implementing this as a targeted option for apartment residents only, or as a pilot program to evaluate its effectiveness.

A one-size-fits-all meal plan no longer reflects how upperclassmen live, eat, and manage their finances. It’s time for a system that is more equitable, practical, and responsive to student needs.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a more flexible, fair, and realistic meal plan option for upper-class students.