Starting next year, students’ meal plans will not roll over.

Last Friday, the Graduate Student Senate discussed why the rollover plan is being discontinued.

Previously, students’ leftover meal-plan money was automatically added to the next semester and could still be used. Next year, though, the University will begin keeping the leftover money.

Because it gives students back money every year, Dining Services have no idea how much money it may have year to year, Parliamentarian Steve Lerer said, and so the organization can’t budget its money. The money will be used for renovation of the dining halls.

“They can’t renovate dining halls if they can’t budget money,” Lerer said.

The GSS also spoke about the proposed meal plan rates for 2009. The average meal-plan increase is 4.73 percent, while the food increase is from 4.5 to 5.5 percent. The proposed semester room rates for 2009 have an average increase of 2.83 percent.

The Top 10 Graduate Concerns was also discussed at the meeting.

A resolution was proposed to make it official to address those concerns they have control over and do their best to take the issues seriously and request the University to do something.

An update was also announced on the budgeting for next year. The Student Budget Committee went through 117 budgets so far, and it finished up the last 64 this past weekend.