Last spring, one lucky Georgetown student walked into the GOCard office in Darnall Hall to change her meal plan and came out more than $1000 richer.
Brenna Carr (SFS ‘07) waited until the last possible day to change her plan from Carte-Blanche, which costs $1,785 per semester, to Block 45, which costs $485, and was rewarded with a check for the difference made out in her name. She was never charged for her meals from the first half of the semester.
In an attempt to discourage students from manipulating meal plan procedures, Dining Services is implementing a new set of policies this semester. Under the altered system, the refund will no longer be available in check form but must be applied directly toward tuition.
The final date for changing plans is now Feb. 22, up from the Mar. 4 deadline last year.
According to official policy, Georgetown University Dining Services uses a pro-rated refund system, reducing student refunds according to how much of their meal plan has been used up to the date of change or cancellation. Bryant explained that depreciation is based on the number of meals eaten for block plans, or the number of weeks since the beginning of the semester for other plans.
Bryant said that Carr’s experience probably came about because some employees were confused about the policy and gave students full refunds up until the final change date instead of pro-rating the refunds.
“An employee did not follow the written policy and procedures,” she said. “It was a small thing, just some confusion in how to calculate.”
According to Bryant, Dining Services amended the deadline so that students would not be able to spend the money gained by switching meal plans on spring break.
“The idea is, get in and make your mind up,” said Vice President of Auxiliary Services Margie Bryant.
Dining Services is publicizing the new deadline for meal plan changes with an updated website and signs in both campus cafeterias.
