STAFF EDITORIAL: Fraternity meal plans too restrictive

Lawrence University makes an agreement with students each year, something reaffirmed every term, which requires the purchase of a meal plan. In exchange for their money, students expect that the school will provide the contracted meals. Presently, Lawrence students are limited to an arbitrary two meals per week that can be shared with another person. Such an arrangement is quite restrictive because it prevents a sibling or other guest from eating, even for a full day, with a Lawrence student. This restriction creates a situation in which the university compels students to purchase a service, yet does not allow students to use this good as they wish.For members of the fraternity system on the split-board plan, the school has a different approach. Unlike other students, Greeks are not even allowed to swipe in one guest per week, per term, per year. This situation is compounded by the fact that these Greeks pay full board, but unlike other students suffer from a declining balance per week. This means that although the fraternity house of a member on the split-board plan pays the University an equivalent amount of money to a student on the ten meal per week or a five meal per week plan, the student is not allowed to space those meals out over the term. Unlike other students, a Greek on the ten meal per week plan would not be able to eat nine meals at Downer one week and eleven meals the next week.

It is understandable that Lawrence wants to integrate fraternity and unaffiliated students by asking Greek men to join the rest of the student body at Downer and Lucinda’s. However, if this institution is interested in asking fraternity members to act like non-fraternity students, it should give them the same options as the non-fraternity students.