Meal swipes will be worth a $9 value for the Autumn 2026 semester, as opposed to the previous swipe value of $8. Credit: Sandra Fu | Lantern File Photo.
The university meal swipe value will increase from $8 to $9 beginning this Autumn, a result of advocacy from the Undergraduate Student Government.
USG received extensive feedback from students regarding the rising cost of meal plans and living expenses on campus and that the cost of a meal swipe value did not keep pace with those increases, according to a statement from the USG.?
The feedback came from focus groups held during the previous McAlpine-Robinson administration, posts from social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok and conversations within USG, President Chris Cade said.?
“Over the past year, the Undergraduate Student Government has spent countless hours advocating for increased value and affordability within Ohio State’s dining system,” a statement obtained by The Lantern on May 21 stated.?
“Through ongoing meetings, research, conversations with students and direct engagement with Dining Services and university administration, we continuously pushed for changes that would better reflect the financial realities students face and ensure students receive the value they deserve from their meal plans.”
Dave Isaacs, a university spokesperson, said that students are still able to use those same swipes for all-you-can-eat Traditions locations on campus as well.
“We’re pleased to be able to accommodate this increase in value to make our meal plans even more affordable as we continue to support the student experience,” Isaacs said in an email. “Our dining plans are some of the most flexible in the country. Dining Dollars roll over every year — even after graduation — and can be used at restaurants across the country through a mobile app.”
Cade, who was elected in April, first raised concerns about meal plan costs through legislation in the General Assembly, calling for a comprehensive review of dining affordability, accessibility and nutritional value.?
President Cade and Vice President Isaiah Nire have had numerous meetings and conversations with Dr. Melissa Shivers, the Senior Vice President for Student Life, and other university leadership, advocating for solutions that would benefit the student body, according to the statement.?
“This change was not the result of one conversation, but rather the product of sustained advocacy and collaboration between USG leadership, senators, student voices across campus, Dining Services, and university administration,” the statement said. “Improving meal swipe value was also a major priority throughout the [former] Asante-Tutu-Noma administration, rooted in the belief that students should not have to pay more while receiving less.”
