Frequently Asked Questions

If you live on campus, yes. All campus residents are required to purchase a meal plan to live on campus. Students living in campus suites (Burton, Collette, King, Watkins, or Ziegler) must purchase the Cowboy Unlimited plan. Campus apartment residents (Bel Gardens or Sallier Gardens) may opt for the Kicker or Rowdy Plan since the apartment has a kitchen. Commuter students may choose any meal plan if they desire, or they may opt for Cowboy Cash instead.

Yes. You must authorize your funds online through Banner self-service or you can go to the cashier's office in Smith Hall (the round building on Ryan Street) to sign a waiver releasing part of your financial aid funds to cover the cost of the meal plan or Cowboy Cash. If you are in the Honors College, you must go to the Honors College office in Chozen Hall to sign a waiver there to release part of your scholarship funds to cover the cost. If you have a scholarship, you must go to the scholarship office in Chozen Hall to sign a waiver there to release part of your scholarship funds to cover the cost.

Meal plans last for one semester and must be selected and paid for each semester.

The Eatery at Rowdy's in the Old Ranch/Holbrook Student Union across from the old bookstore serves all-you-care-to-eat buffet-style food. Students with a meal plan scan in at the door with their campus ID card to use their meals from their meal plans.

It depends on which meal plan you choose.

Rowdy's serves a total of 21 meals a week - 3 meals a day.

Students with the unlimited plan can scan in as many times a day as they'd like. Students with the Rowdy Plan can scan in 10 times a week. Students with the Kicker Plan can scan in 5 times a week. Students can also use Cowboy Cash or Declining Balance to eat in The Eatery at Rowdy's.

This is an amount of spending money that is used at our other dining locations on campus and spends tax-free at the register. It is built into the price of the meal plan and is also loaded onto the student's campus ID card. Students can grab a coffee on campus at Starbucks or Einstein's, or stock up their dorm room at the Market by scanning their campus ID card to use their declining balance funds. The balance will always be printed on the bottom of every receipt. However, it cannot be used in the campus bookstore. Declining balance will expire at the end of the semester and must be spent or it will be lost. If a student runs out and wants more, Cowboy Cash can purchased out-of-pocket that will not expire.