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Fight to End Mandatory Housing in South Dakota

YAL Activists have gathered almost 350 signatures to free themselves of South Dakota State University’s Forced Housing And Food. President Barry H. Dunn not only didn’t listen to the voices of students but said he would be “Chastized” by the Board of Regents for even considering letting students choose their own housing. WE ARE NOT CHILDREN and we can make our own decisions. If the board of regents is the issue here we have expanded our fight to free students statewide from being forced to eat the food their school chooses for them or live where the school decides.

South Dakota Board of Regents requires all first and second-year students to live in university housing and pay for an overpriced meal plan. According to the Board of Regents “SUBJECT: Housing & Meal Plan Requirements  NUMBER: 3:6 2. Meal Plan Requirement 2.1. Meal Plan Requirement All students living in on-campus housing are required to have a meal plan. Institutions may grant waiver exceptions to dine elsewhere. ”

As an example to end Forced Housing and Meal Plans systemwide, According to SDSU’s “Housing & Meal Plan Costs” web page, students will pay more than $600 per month to share a bedroom with two other students and more than $80 per week for the school’s cheapest meal plan. These costs easily pass the threshold of what students would pay for rent in the Brookings area and eat food at non-affiliated restaurants every day, much less if they lived off of groceries. This is the case system-wide and students deserve choice in where they live and what they put into their bodies.  

Student debt already encumbers millions of Americans with financial burdens after their time at school. South Dakota Board of Regents should not require students of any class to carry even more debt simply because the school wishes to push students to their own housing and dining options. I hereby petition the South Dakota Board of Regents to return choice and financial decision-making back to the students by making Housing and meal plans voluntary in South Dakota.

YAL Activists have gathered almost 350 signatures to free themselves of South Dakota State University's Forced Housing And Food. President Barry H. Dunn not only didn't listen to the voices of students but said he would be "Chastized" by the Board of Regents for even considering letting students choose their own housing. WE ARE NOT CHILDREN and we can make our own decisions. If the board of regents is the issue here we have expanded our fight to free students statewide from being forced to eat the food their school chooses for them or live where the school decides.

South Dakota Board of Regents requires all first and second-year students to live in university housing and pay for an overpriced meal plan. According to the Board of Regents "SUBJECT: Housing & Meal Plan Requirements  NUMBER: 3:6 2. Meal Plan Requirement 2.1. Meal Plan Requirement All students living in on-campus housing are required to have a meal plan. Institutions may grant waiver exceptions to dine elsewhere. "

As an example to end Forced Housing and Meal Plans systemwide, According to SDSU’s “Housing & Meal Plan Costs” web page, students will pay more than $600 per month to share a bedroom with two other students and more than $80 per week for the school’s cheapest meal plan. These costs easily pass the threshold of what students would pay for rent in the Brookings area and eat food at non-affiliated restaurants every day, much less if they lived off of groceries. This is the case system-wide and students deserve choice in where they live and what they put into their bodies.  

Student debt already encumbers millions of Americans with financial burdens after their time at school. South Dakota Board of Regents should not require students of any class to carry even more debt simply because the school wishes to push students to their own housing and dining options. I hereby petition the South Dakota Board of Regents to return choice and financial decision-making back to the students by making Housing and meal plans voluntary in South Dakota.

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