1.0 Policy Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure clarity regarding student Meal Plans including, but not limited to, assignments, changes, cancellations, refunds, and exemption requests.
2.0 To Whom the Policy Applies
This policy applies to all Brown University students, as well as dual-degree RISD students who are currently enrolled at Brown.
3.0 Policy Statement
Brown University requires first- and second-year undergraduate students living on campus to participate in the Meal Plan Program during the fall and spring semesters. While Meal Plan participation is not mandatory for other student populations or during summer and winter sessions, all students have the option to enroll in a Meal Plan. Meal Plans are in effect for the entire academic year and are billed by semester.
3.1 Eligibility
All Brown University undergraduate, graduate and medical students and Brown/RISD dual degree students are eligible to purchase a Meal Plan.
3.2 Required Meal Plan Participation
All first- and second-year undergraduate students living on campus are required to purchase a Meal Plan unless they have an approved Meal Plan Exemption in accordance with Section 3.10. For specific Meal Plan options, please refer to the Dining Services website.
3.3 Optional Meal Plan Participation
The following types of students are not required to purchase a Meal Plan:
- Undergraduate students living off campus
- First- and second-year undergraduate students on a leave of absence
- Third- and fourth-year undergraduate students living on campus
- Undergraduate students participating in a study abroad or study away program approved by the College
- Graduate students
- Medical students
- Students granted a full Meal Plan Exemption in accordance with Section 3.10
3.4 Meal Plan Assignments
Initial Meal Plan assignments are made by Brown Dining Services (BDS) at least four (4) weeks before the start of fall and spring semesters. Newly matriculating first- and second-year undergraduate students who are required to purchase a Meal Plan are automatically assigned the 20 Weekly Meal Plan.
Returning students are automatically assigned the Meal Plan they had the previous semester. Students who are not required to participate in the Meal Plan Program may change or drop their Meal Plan in the Meal Plan Portal before applicable deadlines. Students are not required to purchase a Meal Plan for summer or winter sessions and are not automatically assigned a Meal Plan for summer or winter sessions.
3.5 Changes to Meal Plans
Meal Plan changes are permitted for the fall and spring semesters but are not permitted for summer or winter sessions. The BDS website provides dates when students are allowed to make Meal Plan changes.
When changing Meal Plans after the Meal Plan start date, Meal Credits, Flex Points, and Guest Meals used from the original plan are deducted from the new plan. Unused Meal Credits, Flex Points, and Guest Meals from the original plan do not transfer to the new plan. Unused Meal Credits are forfeited when switching between flex and weekly plans. The BDS website provides a breakdown of how changes affect the Meal Plan.
3.6 Meal Plan Rollover
Guest Meals and Flex Points rollover from the fall to the spring semester. Meal Credits rollover from fall to the spring semester for flex plans but do not rollover for weekly Meal Plans.
Students must have an active spring Meal Plan to rollover Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points from the fall semester.
If a Meal Plan is canceled for any reason, any unused Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points are forfeited.
Rollover Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points are non-transferable and cannot be refunded. Unused Meal Credits and Guest Meals from the fall or spring semesters cannot be used during the winter or summer sessions. Unused Flex Points from fall semester can be used during the winter session. Unused Flex Points from spring semester cannot be used during the summer session. Unused Meal Credits from winter or summer session Meal Plans do not roll over to spring or fall semester Meal Plans.
Unused Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points are forfeited at the end of the academic year for all Meal Plans.
3.7 Use of Meal Plan
Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points are non-transferable. Sharing a Meal Plan is not permitted, and all Meal Credits and Flex Points associated with each Meal Plan (with the exception of Guest Meals) are for use only by the Meal Plan holder. Guest Meals are included in each fall and spring semester Meal Plan. They can be used by a student to pay for a meal for themselves or for the meal of a guest.
It is a violation of both the Brown Card Policy and Dining Services policy to allow anyone else to use your Brown ID card for the purpose of sharing a Meal Plan. Any financial transactions that require your Brown ID must be processed with your physical Brown ID. Photos of your Brown ID will not be accepted.
3.8 Cancellations
Students eligible to cancel their Meal Plan may do so prior to the cancellation deadline for the academic year which is published on the BDS website, in the Meal Plan Portal, and in email campaigns sent to students throughout the year. If a Meal Plan is cancelled for any reason, all unused Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points are forfeited. Cancellation past the deadline is permitted only if one of the below conditions is met:
- Withdrawal from the University: Students who officially withdraw from the University during the semester
- Housing Changes: Students approved to live off-campus between the fall and spring semester and are no longer required to maintain a Meal Plan, such as students who are in an approved exchange/abroad program
- Medical or Personal Leave: Students who are on approved medical or personal leave
- Status Changes: Students who have a change of eligibility status from the fall to the spring semester, such as a second-year student in the fall semester becoming a third-year student for the spring semester
- Meal Plan Exemption: Students granted a Meal Plan Exemption in accordance with Section 3.10 below
3.9 Refunds
Refunds for Meal Plans are issued as a credit to the student’s account. The credit will appear on the student’s account within 1-2 business days of it being processed.
3.9.1 Refund Amounts for Meal Plan Cancellation
The amount credited for Meal Plan cancellations in accordance with Section 3.8 will be processed as follows. A credit will be issued for the total Meal Plan cost based on the date a Meal Plan Exemption request was submitted or the date the Meal Plan was officially cancelled, whichever is earliest.
| Timing | Refund (Percentage) |
|---|---|
| Prior to Start of Classes | 100% |
| Weeks 1 & 2 | 80% |
| Week 3 | 60% |
| Week 4 | 40% |
| Week 5 | 20% |
| Beyond Week 5 | 0% |
The amount credited will be reduced by the Meal Credits, Flex Points, and Guest Meals spent prior to the cancellation of the Meal Plan. In instances where the monetary value of Meal Plan less usage exceeds the prorated credit amount calculated by the above schedule, the unused portion of the Meal Plan will be credited, ensuring a level of refund may be provided even if the cancellation occurs beyond Week 5, where the scheduled credit percentage is 0%.
Any remaining unused Meal Credits, Guest Meals, and Flex Points on the student’s account will be immediately deactivated and forfeited when a Meal Plan is cancelled as the value of the remaining balance is accounted for within the calculation of the prorated credit issued to the account. This process ensures the Meal Plan is no longer active and prevents any further usage once the credit has been issued.
3.9.2 Refund Amounts for Meal Plan Changes
Students who change their Meal Plan before the first day of classes for fall or spring semester will receive a full credit for the initial Meal Plan fee, and the cost of their new Meal Plan will be applied to their account.
For Meal Plan changes that occur after the start of classes for fall or spring semester, any credit issued will be prorated, meaning the credited amount will be adjusted based on how much of the Meal Plan has already been used.
3.10 Exemptions
There may be instances where BDS is unable to fully accommodate certain allergies or dietary restrictions within its standard offerings. If BDS cannot accommodate a student's disability accommodations or religious needs, the student has the right to request a full or partial exemption from the Meal Plan Program. These exemption requests are to address a documented disability or religious dietary restriction that BDS is unable to reasonably accommodate. BDS acts in an advisory capacity in this process, with the registered dietitian(s) providing expertise regarding BDS’ facilities, capabilities, and offerings to assist with the evaluation as needed.
3.10.1 Requesting a Disability-Based Exemption
Students requesting a disability-based Meal Plan Exemption begin the process by registering with Student Accessibility Services. More information is available at the Student Accessibility Services website.
3.10.2 Requesting a Religious Exemption
Students requesting a Meal Plan Exemption based on a religious dietary need must contact the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life to discuss their request.
3.10.3 Approved Meal Plan Exemptions
If a Meal Plan Exemption is granted, BDS will cancel or modify the student's Meal Plan as directed, effective as of the date of the initial request. Any applicable refund will be issued according to the refund schedule in Section 3.9.
Once a Meal Plan Exemption is granted, it is granted for all future semesters (i.e. students do not need to reapply). To be considered for a Meal Plan Exemption in the current semester, requests must be submitted by the end of the fifth week of the semester. Requests received after this deadline will be reviewed for the following semester.
Students approved for a full Meal Plan Exemption must acknowledge in writing that Brown University is no longer responsible for providing their meals and that they, the student, are responsible for supporting their own dining needs. Students may opt back into a Meal Plan at any time throughout the academic year.
3.10.4 Appeals
Students wishing to appeal a Meal Plan Exemption decision are required to submit an appeal by writing within 10 business days of the denial to the entity responsible for the original Meal Plan Exemption decision.
If an appeal is approved, BDS will be informed and will cancel or modify the student's Meal Plan as directed, effective as of the date of the initial request. Any applicable refund will be issued according to the refund schedule in Section 3.9.
3.10.5 Financial Hardship
Since the University’s need-based undergraduate financial aid packages are determined by including support for the comprehensive 20 Weekly meal plan within the cost of attendance, Meal Plan Exemptions are not granted by BDS due to financial hardship. Students with questions about financial aid should contact the Office of Financial Aid.
3.11 Dining Locations and Hours
Dining locations are available to students throughout the academic year, with hours of operation aligned to the campus schedule. Full meal service may not be available during major holidays, extreme weather events, or other emergencies; however, contingency plans are in place to ensure students’ needs are met during these times. For detailed and up-to-date information, refer to the BDS website for specific hours and locations or visit BrownReady for emergency preparedness updates.
4.0 Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, the terms below have the following definitions:
- Flex Points:
-
A component of Meal Plans that provides students with a declining balance tender of non-transferable funds that can be used to purchase additional meals or food items at designated campus dining locations.
- Guest Meal:
-
A meal tender that can be used by a student for themselves or a guest or non-enrolled individual at designated campus dining locations.
- Meal Credit:
-
Provides access to the all-you-care-to-eat residential dining facilities, including the Sharpe Refectory on Wriston Quad and the Verney-Woolley Dining Hall at Emery-Woolley. They can be used at most retail à la carte dining locations across campus, where they hold/equate to a specific value that is applied toward the total purchase.
- Meal Plan:
-
A pre-purchased plan that provides students with a set number of Meal Credits per week (weekly plan) or semester (flex plan) which can be spent at designated campus dining locations. In addition to Meal Credits, Meal Plans may also include Guest Meals and Flex Points.
- Meal Plan Exemption:
-
A waiver granted to certain students, as outlined in Section 3.10, allowing them to modify their Meal Plan.
- Full Exemption: Allows a student to cancel their Meal Plan entirely and opt out of the Meal Plan Program.
- Partial Exemption: Allows a student to reduce their Meal Plan to a lower level of participation.
- Meal Plan Usage:
-
The measure of how much a student has utilized their Meal Plan. Usage is determined by the number of Meal Credits and Guest Meals spent at dining facilities and events and the total amount of any associated discretionary spending funds (such as Flex Points) that have been spent by the student up to the point of a refund.
5.0 Responsibilities
All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. University supervisors and employees with student oversight duties are responsible for promoting the understanding of this policy and for taking appropriate steps to help ensure and enforce compliance with it.
Students on a Meal Plan:
- In accordance with the Brown Card Policy,
- Must present a physical Brown ID card to credit for meals at all University dining locations.
- Cannot share their Brown ID Card or Brown ID numbers with others for the purpose of purchasing meals.
- Must report lost or stolen cards to the Brown Card Office promptly to prevent unauthorized use.
- Use the Meal Plan in accordance with the Terms and Conditions outlined by BDS.
- Monitor Meal Plan balances (e.g. Meal Credits, Guest Meals, Flex Points) to ensure that they have sufficient funds to cover their dining expenses.
- Communicate dietary needs or medical conditions that may require special dietary options to the BDS Director of Wellness and Nutrition.
- Students with food allergies are responsible for carrying their prescribed emergency medication, such as epinephrine auto-injectors, at all times while dining on campus. BDS staff are not responsible for storing or administering emergency medication.
- Ensure that any guests brought to University dining locations comply with University policies and procedures.
Dining Services:
- Provide students with accurate and up-to-date information about Meal Plan options, dining locations, and policies.
- Maintain a safe and sanitary dining environment that meets all health and safety standards.
- Address any concerns or complaints related to the Meal Plan program in a timely and effective manner.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding Meal Plan data and Meal Plan Exemption requests.
6.0 Consequences for Violating this Policy
Failure to comply with this and related policies is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension without pay, or termination of employment or association with the University, in accordance with applicable (e.g., staff, faculty, student) disciplinary procedures. Violating exemption request policies may result in denial of future exemption requests. Students who violate University policies or procedures related to the Meal Plan program may be asked to leave a dining facility, may have their Meal Plan revoked without refund, and may be subject to further action as deemed appropriate by the University.
7.0 Related Information
Brown University is a community in which employees are encouraged to share workplace concerns with University leadership. Additionally, Brown’s Anonymous Reporting Hotline allows anonymous and confidential reporting on matters of concern online or by phone (877-318-9184).
The following information complements and supplements this document. The information is intended to help explain this policy and is not an all-inclusive list of policies, procedures, laws and requirements.
7.1 Related Policies
7.2 Related Procedures
7.3 Related Forms
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7.4 Frequently Asked Questions
Policy Owner and Contact(s)
Policy Owner: Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration
Policy Approved by: President
Contact Information:
Policy History
Policy Issue Date:
Policy Effective Date:
Policy Update/Review Summary:
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