In conjunction with adjusted room rates, the Purdue University Board of Trustees approved new board plans (meal plans) that will offer students more flexibility. New meal plans will take effect at the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year.
Meal plans provide opportunities to use meal swipes or Dining Dollars, depending on the dining location. Once students have a meal plan, their student ID is coded with their board plan information. Meal swipes or Dining Dollars are automatically deducted from their account.
Meal plans have been simplified, with six options to fit various lifestyles and budgets. With annual prices ranging from $1,700 - $5,695, rates continue to remain below the Big Ten average.
Over the last 18 months, Dining & Culinary partnered with a nationally recognized consulting firm that focused on campus dining to re-envision meal plans with an eye on flexibility and simplicity. Surveys and student focus groups were completed as well as an evaluation of peer campuses. This process resulted in changing meal plans from a predominantly swipe-based system to a system that features swipes and flexible Dining Dollars, which can be used at all Purdue Food Co. locations and Chick-fil-A on campus.
The new meal plans eliminate restrictions which sometimes caused confusion on when students could use meal swipes or Dining Dollars at Purdue Food Co. locations. New plans offer unrestricted use of Dining Dollars at these locations, giving students more options regarding when and where they want to eat.
Dining & Culinary has also recently piloted a board plan for off-campus students who have previously lived in University Residences. The new board plans include two plans with this population of students in mind. These plans, known as “block plans,” give students a defined number of meal swipes per semester and are available for former residents and students living in University Residences Boiler Apartments.
In addition to maintaining a quality campus dining experience, new plans offer opportunities for reinvestment. Recent reinvestment in campus dining includes increased seating in dining courts and the addition of new dining options that serve diverse tastes and provide options for students with dietary restrictions. Future plans include facility renovations, further expansion of seating capacity, the creation of new concepts and a continued focus on student needs.
These changes further Dining & Culinary’s mission to provide an essential support system for the well-being of students, with compassion that goes beyond the meal. As champions of each step Boilermakers take on their academic journeys and the student experience, Dining & Culinary offers student employment and cocurricular learning opportunities for students to practice communication, leadership, decision-making, problem-solving and teamwork while preparing for successful careers.