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This fall semester, The Davenport Coffee Lounge and The Bridge Cafe, both student-run cafes, informed customers that they would no longer accept Dining Dollars as payment. American University’s Dining and Auxiliary Services department made this payment change “based on technological and operational challenges,” without communicating with the coffee shops before making the change or informing the student body. This decision disproportionately impacts financially-struggling students and student workers, while reflecting American University’s failure to include non-administrative voices in campus life.
Dining Dollars, varying amounts of which are included in meal plans, provided a tax-free payment method for all on-campus dining locations. At AU, first and second-year students are required to purchase specific meal plans, while meal plans are optional for third and fourth-year students. For students who can choose between a wider variety of meal plans, knowing where they can spend campus currencies is vital to selecting a plan. Failure to communicate this information, especially for popular and convenient locations like The Dav and The Bridge, is inconsiderate of a student’s meal plan selection and financial ability.
While The Bridge and The Dav can still accept EagleBucks, the currency is no longer included in meal plans. Students are only given a small amount of EagleBucks for expenses such as laundry. In other words, EagleBucks are unlikely to cover food expenses unless students deposit money into the meal plan portal, converting regular currency into one of AU’s currencies. Due to EagleBucks’ almost sole existence in conversion, the accepted currency is no different than a student paying from their debit or credit card.
AU Dining also cited technological and operational challenges as the basis of their change, yet students make deposits for Dining Dollars and EagleBucks on the same platform. The difference between accepting Dining Dollars and EagleBucks then points to its source– most of the accepted currency comes from student pockets and the declined currency comes from already allocated funds in meal plans.
In removing an allotted form of payment, but preserving the mostly deposit-based form of payment, financially struggling students are less able to engage with these student-run cafes. These students are then limited to locations that might not have The Dav’s gluten-free options or locations that might not be open until 11 a.m.They also may not get to engage in the cafe’s social community.
Neither The Dav nor The Bridge were included in the Dining Dollars decision process, simultaneously undermining the cafes’ input and finances. According to Julia Ford, manager of The Dav, an estimated 30 percent of The Dav’s sales come from Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks. Both cafes also prioritize the employment of federal work study students. In potentially eliminating 30 percent of The Dav’s revenue, the student-run non-profit may have to scale back its services, threatening the cafe’s federal work study opportunities. Although AU Dining might have been attempting to smooth payment services, their lack of communication with the cafes disproportionately affects less financially secure students and the locations they manage.
The Bridge and The Dav also raise money for student organizations with drinks of the month. Limiting the accepted payments of the cafes then not only limits cafe revenue, but money raised for affinity organizations and clubs on campus. The Dav and The Bridge could have communicated this concern had AU Dining provided a necessary platform for input.
As AU Dining also did not issue an announcement or statement regarding the change, student employees have unfairly had to become the bearers of this bad news, subjecting them to backlash for a decision they had no part in. Instead of creating an open forum or working group after single handedly making a decision, AU Dining should initially prioritize the involvement of those who are affected by their decisions. A formal announcement also would have allowed for broader understanding from the student body. The University should be held accountable for its own shortcomings, instead of pushing the burden onto student workers.
What may be convenient or beneficial for AU’s administration does not mean it is convenient or beneficial for its students. AU Dining, or any AU department, should not be able to continue acting on its own. Moreover, those that may be affected by their decisions should be consulted before any action is taken. Our community can find meaningful solutions that work for students, but only with an administration that prioritizes us.
This piece was written by Rebeca Samano Arellano and edited by Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks and Ella Rousseau.
