UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect the new name of the stipend as well as merchant agreements surrounding gift card purchases.
Campus Dining announced on Wednesday, Feb. 17 that all students on a university meal plan will receive a $20 daily supplement from Feb. 17 to 19, for a total of $60. The daily stipend approximately covers the cost equivalent to two campus meals.
The stipend, which was originally called the “Holiday Fund,” but is listed as the “Inclement Weather Plan” in the GET app, can be used at any Grubhub merchant or Taste of Nashville restaurant and will expire at the end of each day.
Students have reported using the stipend to purchase gift cards from participating Taste of Nashville restaurants. Mark Brown, Director of Business Services Technology, wrote in an email to The Hustler that any merchant who sells gift cards to students who pay with Commodore Cash is violating the terms of their participation in the Taste of Nashville program.
“Gift cards cannot be purchased using the Commodore Card and merchants selling them will be removed from the program,” he said.
These students have been kept anonymous to protect their identities and those of the vendors.
Along with the absence of campus dining choices, GrubHub and Taste of Nashville partners have been closed or are operating on limited hours, further restricting students’ access to meals.
The meal plan stipend comes in response to impending Nashville snow and ice storms and consequent limitations to dining operations and restricted meal swipe options for students across campus. For example, as of 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 17, Suzie’s Espresso at Alumni Hall was sold out of all main entrees with a limited selection of sides. Campus Dining released suggestions about how to dine efficiently during the period of restricted dining options on campus.
“Despite the severe winter weather Campus Dining is committed to providing full, daily meal service at both Commons and Rand Dining Centers, in addition to all Munchie Marts,” the Campus Dining recent announcement read.
