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• 1 2017-12-16T14:43:47-08:00 Past Meal Plan Options 7 plain 2017-12-17T17:23:01-08:00 Each year, the meal plans have increased in price steadily. In the academic year from 2003 - 2004 the meal plan options were as listed:
  • First Year Students:
  • Upper-Class Students:
  
  Compared to the price of the current meal plans, prices have increased significantly since 2003. The 2003 costs per meal swipe for each plan are as listed:
  1. 19 meals/week: $4.23/meal
  2. 17 meals/week: $4.72/meal
  3. 14 meals/week (upper class men only): $5.47
  4. 10 meals/week (upper class men only): $7.43
  Looking at the average 19 meals/week plan and comparing it to the current price per 19 meals/week plan ($9.08/meal), there is an increase of about 115%. The price for food has doubled since 2003 at CWRU. The rate at which the meal plans are increasing in price can be observed by comparing the 2003-2004 plans to the 2004-2005 plans. Here are the 2004-2005 meal plans:
  • First Year Students
  
  
  • Upper-Class Students
  
  It can easily be noted that the price of all available plans increased in just one year. The standard 19 meals/week plan costs about $4.52 for the 2004-2005 year. This is an approximate 7% increase for one year. This is the trend for the last 14 years at Case. In the end the price of the meal plan has gone up about 115% from its original price in 2003. Multiple factors could contribute to the steady rise in price such as job demands, adjusting salaries, student population, University budgets/planning etc. However, let it be noted that the price for tuition and housing has increased as well. Here is the average budget of an undergrad at CWRU in 2004:
  
  
  
  And here is the average budget for an undergrad at CWRU in 2017 (current):
  
  
  Comparing the 2004 student's budget to the current student in 2017, tuition is up 78%, room and board is up 89%, and the overall price to attend CWRU is up 77%. These 3 aspects of each budget account for the majority of the expenses. In the last 13 years, CWRU has increased the price of rooming and the meal plans the most out of any aspect. Tuition is on the rise for all colleges in America. This is already a concern for many families who still want their children to attend a university. It is clear that tuition is not the only aspect of the increase in student debt. Food and room has increased even more proportionally than the price of tuition. The aspects mentioned previously that contribute to the problem of the expensive meal plan would save the students a generous amount of money over time if they were to be eliminated. Students have even more pressure on them at CWRU because of these large expenses combined with intense coursework. Now it is time to look at the current dining service on campus, Bon Appetit.