Judge Dismisses Mandatory Meal Plan Suit

A Jefferson County judge has dismissed a lawsuit against three Alabama state universities that claimed they violated the state constitution by forcing students to fund declining balance accounts that can only be used at a limited number of outlets, reports the Tuscaloosa News.

The nearly identical suits, brought on behalf of students at the University of Alabama, Auburn University and the University of Alabama-Birmingham, charged that forcing students to fund such accounts takes away freedom of choice and makes each university a "market participant in the food service market" in violation of the state constitution. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance, however, ruled that the mandatory fees are part of the university trusees' authority under state law, and that they further a legitimate interest in improving the on-campus quality of life.

Also named in the suits were the contract management companies that operate dining services at the three schools: Aramark at the University of Alabama, Compass Group at Auburn and Sodexo at UAB.