Student leaders, Dean of Students propose meal‑swipe donation program as campus food‑security measure

Student government leaders and Dean of Students Desiree Rickenberg presented a coordinated set of initiatives to address food insecurity on campus during the Board’s January meeting, asking the university to endorse a meal‑swipe donation program and to strengthen awareness of existing food‑security resources.

Rickenberg summarized recent campus and national survey results and explained the university established a Basic Needs Task Force and a Carolina Pantry Network to coordinate student pantries, campus gardens (the “Edible Campus”) and donations from Carolina Dining Services. She said survey results vary by instrument but noted one recent campus survey returned a 34.5% rate indicating some low food security; other instruments show lower but still material percentages.

Student government described a proposed donation pathway that would let students donate unused meal swipes through the campus mobile app (the same mechanism used at peer campuses), with pantries and the Dean of Students office distributing donated access. Student organizers said a student survey they ran collected roughly 500 responses and found 32% reported struggling with food insecurity and 96% of respondents said they would donate leftover swipes.

Students and administrators stressed the program would complement — not replace — existing options such as the Dean of Students’ 500‑swipe allotment, campus pantry satellites, and Carolina Dining’s donated meals and food. Rickenberg said the Dean of Students office and campus partners will evaluate sustainability, distribution and awareness and continue to coordinate with financial‑wellness and student‑aid offices.

Ending: Trustees asked for more data about how food insecurity intersects with financial aid; the university said the Office of Scholarships & Student Aid is part of the task force and will be engaged as the program design proceeds.