As the cost of attending the University of Memphis increases, some students say campus meal plans feel less like a convenience and more like an unnecessary expense due to limited food variety and unused swipes.
Students’ concerns come as the University of Memphis approved a tuition and mandatory fee increase for the 2025–26 academic year. The university’s Board of Trustees approved a 4.92% increase, which falls within the 0–6.5% range set by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, adding broader concerns about the rising cost of attendance and student affordability.
Rising college costs are also linked to a broader issue facing students nationwide: food insecurity. A report from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission found that college students experience food insecurity at higher rates than the general population, with some groups reporting rates between 33% and 51%, often driven in part by increasing tuition and other education expenses that leave less money for essentials like groceries…