Meal plan overhaul: Gustavus approves all-you-care-to-eat despite student opposition
Gustavus Adolphus College's board approved a 2027-28 budget on Oct. 9 that moves dining from an à la carte system to an all-you-care-to-eat, swipe-based meal plan in fall 2027, despite a unanimous Student Senate resolution asking for more time and input. In a Student Senate survey of 690 students, 69.3% favored keeping the current system and 13.1% favored the switch, and student leaders said the administration had misstated earlier survey data. An external consultant recommended the change; dining leaders say a new POS system, staffing, menus and purchasing still have to be worked out.
Why it matters for directors: Before changing a meal-plan model, share the data and bring students into the design early; a contested rollout can hurt satisfaction before the first swipe.
Original source: The Gustavian Weekly ↗