University Forcing Non-Refundable Meal "Option"

[ImInjured]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? North Carolina

We have meal plans called meal options at App State that freshman or people living on campus are required to pay. The issue is it's $1330 a minimum per semester and it's non-refundable. You can only use it at the campus food services locations and those locations overcharge for their food. A box of cereal for example is $6. For many of my friends this isn't an issue now because their loans pay for their food but I'm paying for myself and it really puts me at an inconvenience. Last semester I had so much meal plan left over I couldn't spend it.

I read that there has been a lawsuit on this before in Alabama but it was dismissed. Simply put I would like to sue, but if not I might just back a dump truck up to the cashiers office and pay in pennies.

 

[xylene]

Universities bilk students on all kinds of things and it is totally legal.

Don't pay in pennies. That's a big hassle for you and they don't need to accept. And if some idiot is like 'legal tendar' - you are wrong.

 

[ImInjured]

Universities bilk students on all kinds of things and it is totally legal.

Don't pay in pennies. That's a big hassle for you and they don't need to accept. And if some idiot is like 'legal tendar' - you are wrong.

i guess if its not a fine you're right about the pennies, but this has to be some sort of monopoly

 

[Zigner]

i guess if its not a fine you're right about the pennies, but this has to be some sort of monopoly

Yep - sucks, huh?

 

[ImInjured]

Yep - sucks, huh?

Hop off. I'm trying to solve my problems not just allow myself to get scammed.

 

[Proserpina]

Hop off. I'm trying to solve my problems not just allow myself to get scammed.

Please pay an attorney to tell you what you want to hear.

You're welcome.

 

[Dave1952]

What the University is doing is quite legal. Why don't you move off campus? Alternatively, if the meal plans aren't tied to a particular person then buy excess meal plans. Many students are rather un-businesslike and would like cash to spend.

 

[ImInjured]

Im required to live on campus as well. And I'd still have to pay a meal plan if I didn't. How is t that you can choose which bathroom to use but I can't choose where I eat and spend my money on food?

 

[ajkroy]

Did you CHOOSE that university? Then you chose to abide by their rules. Don't like the rules? Metriculate somewhere else.

 

[cbg]

Because that's the rules.

You're going to have to learn, as you go through life, that there are some things you have to just do whether you can see a valid reason for them or not.

 

[adjusterjack]

We have meal plans called meal options at App State that freshman or people living on campus are required to pay.

There's a contradiction in there.

First you call it an option then you say "required to pay."

An option implies that you don't have to buy into the meal plans and can eat every meal at McDonalds or Jack-in-the-Box.

Keep in mind that the average college semester is about 105 days including weekends. Even a $5 meal three times a day ad McDonalds is going to run you over $1500 as opposed to the $1330 for the meal plan.

 

[ImInjured]

But i don't only eat on campus... They have few options I enjoy and the ones I do are overpriced. $9 or $10 dollars a meal is average. Last semester I had $500 left at the end of the semester. I don't have $500 to waste. It's wasted money when I'm trying to pay my way through a somewhat affordable education. I like to be cheap, I will go to the grocery store and buy supplies. I can eat for a week for cheap, and if that's what I want to do, why can't I? Perhaps telling me that I have to deal with it isn't what I'm looking for. Perhaps im looking for why this is legal? Seems very much like a forced monopoly not sure how it isn't.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? North Carolina

We have meal plans called meal options at App State that freshman or people living on campus are required to pay. The issue is it's $1330 a minimum per semester and it's non-refundable. You can only use it at the campus food services locations and those locations overcharge for their food. A box of cereal for example is $6. For many of my friends this isn't an issue now because their loans pay for their food but I'm paying for myself and it really puts me at an inconvenience. Last semester I had so much meal plan left over I couldn't spend it.

I read that there has been a lawsuit on this before in Alabama but it was dismissed. Simply put I would like to sue, but if not I might just back a dump truck up to the cashiers office and pay in pennies.

If the food is overpriced yet you had so much left over that you couldn't spend it then that is on you. Seriously...you are complaining about overpriced food yet saying that you have so much left over that you cannot spend it. That is illogical.

 

[xylene]

If the food is overpriced yet you had so much left over that you couldn't spend it then that is on you. Seriously...you are complaining about overpriced food yet saying that you have so much left over that you cannot spend it. That is illogical.

The price of cereal is a rip off and the mandatory initial account balance is too high are not contradictory statements.

They charge 6 dollar a box for cereal and I don't need over 200 of them a semester.

What is the logic problem?

 

[adjusterjack]

Perhaps telling me that I have to deal with it isn't what I'm looking for.

You haven't clarified whether this meal plan is mandatory or optional. When you sign up for a semester, is it itemized on your bill, can you opt out of it? Your contract with the college is likely it's catalogue. What does it say about the meal plan requirement? Read it and quote it word for word.

Perhaps im looking for why this is legal?

It's legal if it's not illegal. If no law prohibits it then it could just be a part of your contract with the school that you agreed to when you enrolled.


By the way, I give you a lot of credit for going to school without student loans. You might think the students with loans have it easy but years after they graduate they will still have soul crushing debt that they might never get out from under.