Marshall University Housing and Residence Life is planning some changes for student meal plan policies starting with the fall 2016 semester.

As reported by the Marshall Parthenon, students currently have the option of an unlimited meal plan, a 15 meals per week package, or a 10 meals per week package with a choice of adding more flex dollars based on preference. The new policy will change the on-campus meal options available to students.

The changeover, according to Housing and Residential Life, will see Marshall keep the unlimited option, and move to block plans and do away with the 10 and 15 meals per week options.

The current unlimited plan offers students the additional option of $50, $150 or $250 in flex dollars, while the 15 meals per week plan has options of $100 or $200 in flex dollars. The 10 meals per week plan, available to only third year students or higher, comes with optional $400 or $50o flex dollar add ons.

"Flex is a lot more straightforward and easier to keep up with,” said Bob Dorado, manager of the campus ID office at Marshall, in an interview with the Parthenon. “In some ways more flex is more fair than the value that comes with the meal plans.”

The new meal plan structure is designed to offer student meal plans with an increased amount of flex dollars rather than more meal swipes. Following the changeover, Marshall will no longer support meal swipes in it's student center at any on-campus facilities other than campus dining halls. Instead, students with meal plans will be able to use the larger amount of flex dollars that will accompany the new block plans.