A new program allowing students to make purchases at University
Bookstore using their meal points has been delayed by negotiations
between the bookstore and Housing and Food Services.

The program would allow students to use their meal points at the
bookstore during the final two weeks of the semester.

Unresolved negotiations between the bookstore and Housing and
Food Services over profit percentages have stalled the program,
said Dave Annis, Housing and Food Services director.

Annis said Housing and Food Services is paid 10 percent of meal
points spent on campus. The bookstore is contracted to give the
university 10 percent of its sales.

Gary Madole, University Bookstore manager, said the bookstore
was willing to pay its percentage to either the university or
Housing and Food Services, but not to both.

Annis said he was told Housing and Food Services would have to
take less of a percentage.

“I can’t take less than at least the 10 percent
because that would hurt our budget,” Annis said.

Annis said the only money Housing and Food Services brings in is
from the meal plans. They do not get money from the university or
the state.

“There comes a point where there’s only so much that
can be donated, and there’s only so much that we can tap and
bring out of the budget. As students continue to come up with
creative ways to tap into my budget, it makes it a little more
difficult to balance everything,” Annis said.

Kyle Eastwood, Student Congress representative and University
College freshman, conceived of the program last December after
noticing students buying junk food in a last attempt to liquidate
their meal points.

“I thought surely we can think of something better than
buying cases of Snickers and Coke,” Eastwood said.

Tamara Alexander, English and biochemistry sophomore, said she
spent nearly $250 worth of meal points at the end of last
semester.

“I just went through the aisles and picked up what I
thought my family would enjoy,” Alexander said.

Alexander said she looks forward to using those meal points at
the bookstore.

“I wish they already took our meal points because then we
wouldn’t have to waste so much of our money,” she
said.

Madole said the bookstore is prepared to accept meal points.

“We were all aboard with it. We had the card swipes
installed and everything, so as far as we knew, it was a go,”
Madole said.

Madole said the program would include all their merchandise
except textbooks and software.
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