Dartmouth dining plan costs freshmen more

July 9—Dartmouth’s recently announced “hybrid” dining plan was developed in order to solve the “problem of inequity” that existed in the current Declining Balance Account (DBA) plan, Director of Dartmouth Dining Services David Newlove said in an interview with The Dartmouth. The new plan, the creation of which involved one student committee meeting with Newlove, will allow students to have all-you-can-eat style meals at ’53 Commons or use their DBA at any other dining facility on campus, according to Newlove.

“Senior College administrators were getting complaints and concerns that students on financial aid were not able to eat 21 meals a week without going negative [on DBA],” Newlove said. “Then the bills go home and a lot of times families are unable to pay that additional dollar amount.”

The new plan will provide a meal option that will offer a “sufficient number of meals” per week and will be included in financial aid packages, Newlove said.