Established 1826 — Oldest College Newspaper West of the Alleghenies

Holes in Miami’s dining services let money slip through students’ pockets

TO THE EDITOR:

Perhaps it's the quality of Miami Dining that, for the most part, exempts it from close examination by the student body, or maybe it's the average student's lack of awareness of the cost. Most seem to recognize that the prices are high, but few seem to grasp just how high. When I was a student at the University of North Texas, an unlimited 7-day meal plan cost roughly $1,600 per semester. At Miami, my meal plan costs upward of $2,600 per semester.

The biggest reason for the cost of dining is likely that there are a lot of locations. Miami has adopted a primarily "a-la-carte" model, as opposed to a large buffet. UNT opted instead for an entirely buffet system. Out of a student population of 30,000 - roughly double that of Miami's - there were slightly more than a handful of dining locations, including the student union. By having a large variety of dining options, Miami has also been forced to buy a larger variety of foods, which tends to be more expensive than buying in bulk. Because of the sheer costs of operation, relatively few universities have opted to get into the business of "markets," similar to that of a convenience store.

The second is that Miami has opted for a two-part pricing system. Campus meal plan holders pay a $1,600 assessment fee for their meal plan, followed by whatever amount students choose to add. They justify this expense by giving students so-called "discounts" on their meal purchases, equivalent to 50 percent at the buffets and 30 percent at the al la carte locations. This $1,600 fee probably goes directly to the base operational costs of keeping the dining locations running. The "discounted" price that students pay off of their meal plan would then reflect the real cost of the food to the university. In effect, this pricing structure has likely created an inflated demand for new dining locations, which in turn increase costs to the student. The discounts provide incentives for students to buy larger meal plans. In other words, the more meal plan you buy, the more value you get.

There are some good reasons to have a large dining operation. For one thing, it guarantees students a flexible job on campus if they need one. Second, it gives students excellent dining options compared to standard college fare. While North Texas was significantly cheaper, I never wanted to touch anything in the dining halls after my first year there.

But what students need to consider is whether they are getting the value they paid for. For me, that answer is a resounding no. The cost of dining has become so high that it would be nearly cheaper for me to eat every single meal Uptown. While Miami Dining has some aspects that are highly advantageous, ultimately the student body is responsible for ensuring that they receive a high value for the quality of food and service they receive. I hope that every student will at some point consider this as they and their parents continue to pay for their pricey meal plans.

Ryan Pettit

pettitra@miamioh.edu