Can a school require you to buy a cafeteria plan?

[groomson]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this thread, so I just picked one of the topics. I go to a liberal arts school in the state of washington. I am allergic to garlic, and have experienced some digestive problems with their food last year. This year my roommate and I purchased a lot of equipment (refrigerator, electric wok, etc.) to be able to cook for ourselves, and have been doing quite well without food service. Now the school wants us to pay for a service we don't need or use. Can the school make us buy services we don't need?

One other thing to note: The handbook states that all first and second year students (which my roommate and I are) are required to purchase a meal plan unless they live in a specific dorm that has a kitchen in each room. It seems to me that the requirement to purcase a meal plan is contingent upon the capacity to cook in your room (of which we are perfectly able.) Is this enough to file a law suit?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

It all depends on the initial papers you signed to go to the school; e.g., you may have signed an agreement that states that you agree to all policies of the school and/or changes to the manual, etc.

Insofar as cooking in your dorm room, if it wasn't designed with cooking in mind, you may be violating Health & Safety laws; e.g., fire safety rules, regulations and/or laws. This could get you kicked out of school.

IAAL

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