The University has reduced Carolina Dining Services operations to take-out for the students who have been granted special circumstances waivers to remain on campus.
Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz sent a March 17 email to campus community members, announcing this and other changes implemented following the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. The UNC System instructed system institutions to reduce their operations earlier that day.
“Protecting the health, safety and well-being of our campus community is our first priority,” Guskiewicz said in the email. “And secondly, we need to provide the best possible student experience that we can under the circumstances.”
For many students with meal plans who did not qualify to stay on campus, these changes have been overwhelming.
“It’s a bit stressful because as someone who typically relies on the dining hall for food, I don’t have that option now,” sophomore Jesse Tuttle, majoring in environmental and global studies, said. “So I’ve been having to spend money out of pocket to buy groceries,”
Molly Horan, a first-year pre-business major, said she has almost 150 meal swipes left and wonders whether she will be refunded for the remaining swipes or whether they will be carried over for her to use next semester.
In the email, Guskiewicz said that a decision regarding potential refunds for housing or dining fees will be made by the UNC System after April 1.
Students will be informed once the University receives that guidance from the UNC System, he said in the email.
“There are so many students and so much going on, so I don’t expect anything to happen very quickly,” Tuttle said.
