Wheaton's residential policy requires that all students living on campus participate in the meal plan available through the College's Dining Services. We are pleased with the variety of options that Dining Services provides for a college of our size. Students may choose to eat in three dining halls offering several choices of full meals, soups and salad bars, and a la carte offerings; the Balfour-Hood Cafe serves sandwiches and lighter fare; or the Loft, which sells pizza and other pub-style foods. At least one of these facilities is open from early morning through late night, seven days a week. By exercising good judgment students can satisfy almost any dietary requirements or lifestyle choices. Students can lose weight, gain weight, stay fit and healthy or maintain a vegetarian diet.

Meal Plan Waivers

The College considers requests for meal plan waivers utilizing the criteria outlined below. Waivers are not granted for financial reasons or for reasons of non-essential food preferences, likes or dislikes. All requests are considered on an individual basis. Meal plan waivers are granted on a semester-by-semester basis unless otherwise noted.

Medical/Dietary Requirements and Religious/Cultural Beliefs and Practices

Occasionally a student may have medial or dietary requirements, or cultural or religious beliefs and practices that cannot be accommodated by Dining Services. In such cases, the Director of Dining Services will determine whether or not the specific requirements can be accommodated in the dining halls.

Students requesting a meal plan waiver for either of the above reasons should submit their request for a waiver in writing to the Dean of Students' Office. Requests based upon a medical or dietary requirement should be accompanied by written confirmation from a physician and a detailed diet prepared by the physician or a dietician. Please bear in mind that we expect students to exercise responsibility for making the correct choices of foods that their medical diet might require. The Director of Dining Services will review these materials and determine whether these requirements can be accommodated. If they cannot, the request for a meal plan waiver will be approved.

Requests for a meal plan waiver based upon religious or cultural beliefs and practices should be submitted in writing and be accompanied by confirming documentation from parents or family members and from a religious or cultural leader familiar with the student's beliefs and practices who can confirm the authenticity of the request.

Personal, Ethical or Political Convictions

In some cases, students may have strongly held personal, ethical or political convictions that cause them to object to eating on the meal plan, the food that Dining Services provides and/or the manner in which food is prepared. Students who feel compelled to request a waiver due to strongly held convictions should submit their request in writing to the Dean of Students Office. Students must make a convincing presentation of their convictions, which should be accompanied by supporting documentation from those who know them well enough to confirm the authenticity and to assess the depth of their convictions. Students must make a convincing argument that participating in the meal plan would force them to violate these convictions.

Scheduling Difficulties

The College does not normally excuse students from the meal plan due to scheduling difficulties. Dining Services will provide boxed meals-to-go for students who have a commitment away from campus that causes them to miss a meal. The College will only consider requests for waivers from students with scheduling conflicts that are recurring and determined to be unavoidable.

Process for Consideration of Requests for Meal Plan Waivers

Requests for meal plan waivers should be submitted to the Dean of Students Office for consideration. The Dean of Students Office will consult with the Director of Dining Services and the Director of Business Services as necessary when considering requests for meal plan waivers. Decisions of the Dean’s Office are final.