Meal Plan Modification Request

We are deeply committed to the full participation of students with disabilities in all aspects of college life, including dining experiences. All students living in residence halls are required to purchase a meal plan. In certain situations, students may need to request special meal plan accommodations.

• Occasionally, students have special dietary needs and require an accommodation to the meal plan in the form of a special diet. Many times, these needs can be met by Creative Dining Services. 
• Students with food allergies or disabilities who require special diets should consult the information on the Dining Services Dietary Needs webpage, fill out the Dietary Awareness Form, and schedule an appointment with the dining services staff to discuss their needs. Meeting with dining services staff will ensure that you are aware of the various options for you on campus, and how dining services might be able to meet your individual needs. 
• After a student with food allergies or a disability meets with the dining services staff, they can request an accommodation from DAR if they feel there are barriers to necessary food options. The review process for a meal plan accommodation may take 3–4 weeks.
• Disability accommodations are approved to provide access to the same services as all other students which may mean that preferences, including requests for meal plan modifications due to a desire for a specific type of food (e.g., unprocessed, grass-fed, etc.), are not considered in a request. Generally speaking, when no student has access to the opportunity requested, the request is regarded as a fundamental alteration to the college housing program.
• Releases from the meal plan are rare. They are made solely for documented health conditions that require special medically and necessitated diets that cannot be accommodated by Creative Dining Services.

Please contact us at dar@hope.edu if you have any questions about the process for requesting a meal plan modification. While students may request an accommodation at any time, approved meal plan modifications can only be implemented during the first week of classes. There are no exceptions to this deadline. Any requests approved after the deadline will be applied the following semester.

To apply for a meal plan accommodation, please complete the Meal Plan Modification Request Form. You will be asked to submit documentation regarding a substantially limiting condition by appropriate medical professionals as a part of the DAR accommodation process.