Your residence hall application-contract automatically includes a meal plan. Meal plans are not optional. However, you have a choice of four levels from which you may choose.
Definition of Costs:
All meal plans include both dining dollars and flex dollars. Dining dollars can only be used in the residence hall dining centers. Flex dollars can be used at Subway restaurants in the residence halls, at Campus Dining retail venues in the Bone Student Center, at the Airport Lounge in Centennial West and the Business Bistro in the College of Business, as well as residence hall vending machines. Flex dollars may also be used in the dining centers after all dining dollars are used. For a complete list of locations and whether dining or flex dollars will be used for purchases, go to the “Where can I use it” selection on the Redbird Card Office Web site ( www.comptroller.ilstu.edu/redbird).
Once you decide which meal plan will best suit your needs, place the meal plan number in the meal plan box on your residence hall application-contract. If you do not select a meal plan, you will automatically be placed on the Silver level.
When you come to campus you’ll get your student ID (the Redbird Card) which will also be used to access your meal plan. At the beginning of each semester, your Redbird Card will be programmed with the dining and flex amount of the meal plan you choose. Every time you make a purchase, you’ll just hand your card to the cashier and the amount will be deducted from your available dining or flex dollars.
Some simple calculations on the following chart may help you to make this decision. All residence hall dining centers serve a la carte, meaning that each item you choose is priced individually, and the cost of your meals will vary according to your selections. However, for the following calculations, we have estimated the cost of meals to be $1.80 ($4 retail) for breakfast, $2.70 ($6 retail) for lunch, and $3.37 ($7.48 retail) for dinner. Please remember that all purchases in the residence hall dining centers are 45% of retail prices and that purchases at residence hall Subway restaurants, Campus Dining venues at the Bone Student Center, and residence hall vending machines are full retail cost. This chart is also available on the Campus Dining Services website (www.cds.ilstu.edu).
Estimated # of breakfasts per week in a dining center _____ X $1.80 ($4.00 retail) _____
Plus, estimated # of lunches per week in a dining center _____ X $2.70 ($6.00 retail) + _____
Plus, estimated # of dinners per week in a dining center _____ X $3.37 ($7.48 retail) + _____
Plus, additional amount per week for snacks from the dining centers + _____
Total amount needed weekly for purchases in the dining centers Weekly Total = _____
Multiply weekly total by 16 weeks in the semester Semester Total = _____
In addition to the total dollars you use per semester in the dining centers, please add the amount you will use from your flex dollars for full retail purchases at residence hall Subway restaurants, Campus Dining venues at the Bone Student Center, and residence hall vending machines. The amount of purchases you can make at these locations will depend on the amount of flex dollars allowed in the meal plan you select.
Please keep in mind that flex dollars may be used in residence hall dining centers once all dining dollars have been used. However, dining dollars may not be used for purchases at residence hall Subways, Campus Dining venues at the Bone Student Center, or residence hall vending machines.
Each time you access your meal plan, you may ask the cashier to check your balance. We suggest that you monitor your balance on a weekly basis in order to budget your meal plan to last throughout the semester. For suggestions for budgeting dining dollars, please see the question above. Balances can also be obtained at the Redbird Card Office in the Bone Student Center (309-438-CARD), or you may check your balance by logging on to your information through iCampus.
You can simply add money your University debit account at the Redbird Card Office in the Bone Student Center, at the Cashier’s Office located in the Student Accounts Building, or in one of the machines located in Watterson Food Court, Hamilton-Whitten, Manchester Hall, Milner Library, or Bone Student Center. Food purchases in the residence hall dining centers with money added to your debit account will continue to be 45% of the retail price. Further information about adding money to your debit account is available on the Redbird Card Office Web site.
The amount of any unused dining or flex dollars at the end of fall semester will carry forward for use during the spring. At the end of the spring semester, students who have not used all of their dining and flex dollars will have the amount remaining deducted from their meal plan charge. A refund check will be issued by the Student Accounts Office provided all outstanding debts are paid.
Meal plans can be changed before each semester begins. University Housing Services must receive the change request in writing before the residence halls open each semester. Change requests must be received on or before August 12, 2006 for the fall semester, and January 10, 2007 for the spring semester. You can change your meal plan with the Meal Plan Change Request form online or by writing a letter to University Housing Services. All changes must be directed to University Housing Services. We cannot guarantee that requests sent to other offices will be forwarded to University Housing Services.
Yes, a student living off campus may purchase a meal plan. In order to sign up for a meal plan, you will need to obtain a meal plan contract from University Housing Services (309-438-8611) located in the Office of Residential Life Building on University Street. To request a meal plan via e-mail, send your request to scbenne2@ilstu.edu, include your name and the address to which you would like the contract sent. You may also fill out the contract in person at University Housing Services.
