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September 2012 from
Meal Plan, pg. 22
meal plan is going to be in the dining commons or in one of our eateries and is not being used for clothing at one of the merchants,” Wandel said. LionCash, unlike the Commuter Meal Plan, can be used at numerous locations in downtown State College such as clothing stores and national chain restaurants. Students on a budget could easily squander their food funds downtown. The Commuter Meal Plan ensures the money charged to their bursar will be used only for dining. Wandel noted that she is pleased with the number of Commuter Meal Plans that have already been purchased. She said she looks forward to the spring semester to see how many students renew their
“I think it’s a great idea. I have class from 8 a.m. to 3 in the afternoon, so I’ll either have to pack a lunch or eat on campus.” Lauren McManemin plan, as well as how many new plans are purchased. Jon Florio, a marketing major, graduated from Penn State in 2012. He used LionCash to pay for all of his food and was unsatisfied “I would have absolutely used a Commuter Meal Plan,” Florio said. “I could have taken it out with my alternative loans, or my parents would’ve paid for it. It’s definitely a good idea to have for students, especially for people that have financial aid.” Lauren McManemin is currently a junior with a financial aid package. She used a Level 3 Campus Meal Plan for her first two years living on-campus at Penn State. Now that she will be living offcampus, McManemin is pleased to have another dining option.
“I would have absolutely used a Commuter Meal Plan. I could have taken it out with my alternative loans, or my parents would have paid for it.” Jon Florio “I think it’s a great idea,” McManemin said. “I have class from 8 a.m. to 3 in the afternoon, so I’ll either have to pack a lunch or eat on campus. So, this is a great way to get a discount and eat on campus.” The addition of the Commuter Meal Plan will not affect the current payment process in the dining commons and on campus eateries. When a student’s card is swiped through the machine, it will first look to deduct funds from a Campus Meal Plan, then move to Commuter Meal Plan and finally LionCash. This update was made to ensure that the Commuter Meal Plan funds would be used up first, as they will be forfeited at the end of the spring semester. However, the Commuter Meal Plan would not be a beneficial plan for students who primarily purchase and prepare their own food. LionCash provides a 10 percent discount at on-campus dining areas and can also be used to buy groceries at stores including Weis Markets, Giant Food Stores and McLanahan’s. Students considering the Commuter Meal Plan should also think about how many times they plan to visit popular offcampus restaurants downtown that do accept LionCash, such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Chipotle, McDonalds and Subway. They would be forced to use other means of payment since the Commuter Meal Plan is not accepted there. A student seeking multiple options and freedom to eat anywhere would gain the most from LionCash. However, the Commuter Meal Plan allows students
with financial aid the benefit of charging the plan to their bursar. They would have to commit to eating all of their meals on campus where they would receive the discount, which may not appeal to students who want to eat anytime and anywhere with their friends. Wandel suggests that students and parents struggling to make a decision between dining options should visit the campus dining website, (www.hfs.psu.edu) and follow the links to a campus meal plan comparison chart. The chart clearly outlines the similarities and differences between LionCash, the Commuter Meal Plan and the Campus Meal Plan. It also includes guidelines that help parents and students decide how many meals the student will eat and which level meal plan would be most financially beneficial.
Photo by Sierra Dole
Customers are asked to tell cashiers at campus eateries that they have the Commuter Meal Plan.