Correspondence Directory

Expenses and Financial AidFeesCable TelevisionServiceOWU CardAll students who live in the residence halls and small living units (including Austin Manor) atOWU must participate in the University meal plan. Rare exceptions will only be considered forthose students with medical conditions or membership in religious organizations with strict dietaryguidelines that cannot be accommodated by the University’s food service vendor. In such instancesa waiver from the meal plan may be sought. In the event of a medical exemption, appropriatedocumentation must be submitted by the student’s doctor and approval must come from a team ofthree people: the Director of Student Health Services, the Director of Residential Life, and the FoodService Director. For a religious exemption, appropriate documentation must be submitted by thestudent’s religious authority and approval must come from a team of three people: the UniversityChaplain, the Director of Residential Life, and the Food Service Director. The process for seekingan exemption from the University meal plan, under one of these two exceptions, begins with ameeting with the Director of Residential Life. There are no other exemptions from meal plansavailable.The University meal plan provides maximum flexibility to accommodate different students’ eatinghabits. The dollar amount chosen covers fixed costs, then creates a balance on the student’s mealcard (Purchasing Power). Dining hall personnel use computer terminals to deduct the cost of eachmeal purchased from the student’s meal card. Families may select one of three options for Boardpurposes: Plan A (Knight) for the hearty eater ($5,084); Plan B (Bishop), which covers the averagestudent ($4,644); Plan C (Squire) the minimum ($4,050). All new students are automaticallyplaced on the Bishop Meal Plan.During the summer, the Office of Dining Services mails a brochure to all new students, with mealplan specifics and a form if the student wishes to opt for a larger or smaller meal plan. Unused pointbalances carry over from fall to spring, but are forfeited at the end of Spring Semester and donot carry to the following year. Students who complete Fall Semester but do not return for SpringSemester forfeit all remaining points and are not eligible for a refund of any unused balances. TheUniversity allows students on one of the three Board plans (Knight, Bishop or Squire) to transferpoints to students who are also on one of these plans. Transfer of points to students who are not ona Board plan (which includes students eating at a fraternity) is prohibited. Students may purchaseadditional food points at any time.Cable TV service is activated in every room when you arrive on campus. Service will be active at nocharge during the first week of fall classes. If you wish to continue service after that time, you mustsign up. To sign up for service, go to http://adminservices.owu.edu/. If you sign up, cable servicesare billed monthly to the student’s campus address. Unpaid bills result in deactivation of the service,with a $10 reconnection fee for reactivation.The OWU Card is the student’s ID card, which also includes a debit card program. A deposit to theaccount must be made before the student may use the funds. Any deposit made is not availablefor cash withdrawal, but is returned when a student leaves the University, using the guidelines inthe following paragraph. The OWU Card is used in a manner similar to any other debit card. Thestudent’s purchases are limited by the amount of funds in the account.The parent or student may deposit funds for the OWU Card through the mail, at the Cashier’sOffice, or online. Deposits may be made via check, money order, or cash, through the cashier’swindow, during posted business hours. Deposits via major credit card or debit cards (excluding285