Freshmen at UAB face unnecessary financial burdens from mandatory meal plans. They are required to purchase expensive meal plans that provide more meals than they can use during a semester. With only a 50% refund on unused meals, freshmen lose half the money spent on meals they do not eat. Additionally, freshmen have limited dining options as meal plans can only be used at four on-campus locations with inconvenient hours and an out-of-the-way campus location. The mandatory meal plans impose significant unnecessary costs on freshmen without providing fair value in return.

11. 
Unnecessary Financial Burdens

12. 
Unnecessary Financial Burdens

Unused Meals

13. 
Unnecessary Financial Burdens

Unused Meals

Limited Options

14. 
Percentage of 2011 UAB graduates with
debt: 47%
(“Alabama”)

15. 
Percentage of 2011 UAB graduates with
debt: 47%

Average debt of 2011 UAB graduates:
$21,503
(“Alabama”)

16. Fall 2013 First-Year Freshmen Estimated
First-Year
Freshman
In-State – Two
Semesters
(15 credit hours
per semester)
Tuition and
Fees*
$9,354
Books and
Supplies**
$1,000
Meal Plan (based
off $1,760 per
semester)
$3,530
Freshman
Housing
$5,600
Parking
$130
Total
$19,614
(“Freshman: College Costs (Alabama Residents)”)

17. “The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) requires that the
following students purchase a meal plan during fall and spring
semesters:
› Students residing in freshman housing must choose plan 1 or 2*
› All other students residing in on-campus housing must choose
from plans 1 through 7”
Average Meals Per
Week
Total Meals
Cost
Plan 1
15
233
$1,765
Plan 2
12
186
$1,615
Plan 3
10
150
$1,037
Plan 4
7
108
$770
Plan 5
5
78
$584
Plan 6
3
47
$360
Plan 7
1
16
$146
(“Meal Plans”)

18. 

16 weeks = 112 days
186 meals / 112 days =
(“Academics: Academic Calendar”)

19. 
Thanksgiving = 1 week

14 weekends = 28 days
(“Academics: Academic Calendar”)

20. 

16 weeks = 112 days
186 meals / 112 days = 1.66 meals per day

21. 
“The last day to use Spring Meal Plans
is May 10. Any student with unused meals
will see a 50% roll-over added to their
selected spring Meal Plan. At the end of
the Spring semester Meal Plans do not
rollover”(“Meal Plans”).

22. 
Only four locations accept meal plans…
› 1. The Commons on the Green
› 2. The Diner
› 3. WOW Café
› 4. Zebi
(“Locations”)

23. The Commons on the Green

24. (“Restaurant Inspection Detail”)

25. Diner Salad

29. Diner Menu
WOW Café Menu
Both locations serve salads, burgers,
chicken sandwiches, and chicken
tenders with a side of fries.

30. Out-of-the way location
Campus Green
Zebi Location
Inconvenient Hours

33. 
Freshmen pay the biggest price for the
corrupt dining policies at UAB.
› Unnecessary Financial Burdens
› Unused Meals
› Limited Options

34. "Academics: Academic Calendar."UAB Students.The University of Alabama at Birmingham. n.d. Web. 12
November 2013.
" Alabama." The Project on Student Debt. College InSight. n.d. Web. 13 November 2013
"Restaurant Inspection Detail." JCDH. Jefferson County Department of Health. n.d. Web. 13 November 2013
"Locations." UAB Campus Restaurants. The University of Alabama at Birmingham. n.d. Web. 12 November
2013
"Meal Plans." UAB Campus Restaurants. The University of Alabama at Birmingham. n.d. Web. 12 November
2013.
"Freshman: College Costs (Alabama Residents)." UAB Students. The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
n.d. Web. 13 November 2013.