At its meeting today, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Council of Trustees approved a recommendation to revise dining plan rates.
The proposal was submitted to IUP President Michael Driscoll from the IUP Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup.
This adjustment is the first increase in dining plan rates since 2018.
“We remain committed to keeping IUP as affordable as possible, but to continue to offer high-quality, nutritious, and varied dining options, it is critical to invest in both staffing and facilities,” Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Segar said. Segar and Vice President for Administration and Finance Debra Fitzsimons are co-chairs of the Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup, which includes administrators, faculty, and students in its membership.
“Like many institutions, IUP faces increasing operational costs due to inflation and higher expenses for food, utilities, and labor,” Vice President Segar said. “Through its review, the Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup found that comparative meal plan pricing at Pennsylvania State System institutions shows that most universities recently adjusted meal plan prices or are anticipating adjustments for the 2025-2025 academic year to meet these needs, and that IUP’s current pricing is below the average.”
The new dining rates go into effect for the fall 2025 semester. A total of 3,330 students are enrolled in one of IUP’s six meal plans, which will see increases between $170 to $390 per semester.
For IUP’s most common meal plan, 14 meals per week plus $350 in flex dollars (available for use in any dining facility throughout the semester), the cost would be $2,121 per semester, a difference of $325.
Additional dining plan rates per semester approved for fall 2025, listed in order of number of students enrolled in that meal plan during the fall 2024 semester, are:
- For 10 meals per week and $350 in flex dollars per semester, the fee will be $1,917, a difference of $170;
- For 19 meals per week and $250 in flex dollars, the fee will be $2,200, a difference of $390;
- For seven meals a week and $100 in flex dollars, the fee will be $1,389, a difference of $239;
- For 75 meals a semester and $100 in flex dollars, the fee will be $2,184, a difference of $375 increase;
- For 175 meals a semester and $350 in flex dollars, the fee will be $2,184, a difference of $375.
Students who are living in on-campus residence halls are required to have a dining plan, but dining plans and use of the dining facilities are open to all students and to the community.
Dining facilities on campus include North Dining, Starbucks, Crimson Perk, Folger After Dark, Hadley Union Building Food Court, and Crimson Café. For students who need to follow specific eating patterns, IUP’s on-campus campus dietitian is available to help with questions, concerns, healthy eating tips, fitness, weight management, and eating disorders questions from students and families. North Dining offers True Balance, a station for diners with food allergies, and the dining facility’s options include a number of low-carbon “CoolFood Meals” that have a 38 percent lower carbon emission than the average meal.
The dining service hires more than 100 students each semester to work in the various dining facilities. Aramark provides IUP’s dining services.