Essay
Pro-Con Essay ( #SF 2816)
Pros: This bill should be passed because students shouldn’t lose money they already
have paid for. College meal plans are prepaid and often costly, therefore unused
balances should go back to the student or family. Currently unused balances go back to
the institution instead of the student. According to the EFLI on average students pay
$5,656 per school year for college meal plans and 98% of colleges require first year
undergraduate students to purchase a meal plan. Additionally, according to the
Minnesota State website, first year total costs, including tuition, fees, room and board,
are anywhere from $30,000-36,000 in public schools and nearly double that with private
institutions. Since college is already expensive, students and families should not have to
lose additional money from unused meal plans. Refunding unused balances would
allow students to use that money for other expenses like rent. This bill increases
fairness since it requires colleges to return unused student funds within 45 days.
Cons: Some argue this bill could create financial strain for colleges. Many colleges and
institutions price meal plans assuming that not all funds will be used, which ultimately
helps cover dining hall operations and any cost associated with that. According to the
Wheel the University of Minnesota makes somewhere around or close to $15 million
dollars simply off of unused student meal plans. If schools have to refund every unused
dollar they might increase meal plan prices to make up the difference. $15 million is a
lot which goes towards a multitude of costs and other necessities in college. Some also
argue that students agree to meal plan terms and should take responsibility and
accountability in regards to using their money. According to EAB, 52% of private
institutions' money comes from auxiliary costs like tuition and meal plans. Therefore,
smaller private colleges would suffer more with the loss of money.
Sources:
https://eab.com/resources/blog/strategy-blog/higher-ed-financial-frontier-revenue-and-
expense-trends/
https://www.elfi.com/student-loans/college-meal-plan-study/
https://www.minnstate.edu/admissions/tuition.html
https://www.stkateswheel.org/home/tbd