500 signatures reached
To: Davidson College Students
Dining Dollar Access for All
In 2019, Davidson’s PPGA (Planned Parenthood Generation Action) chapter established the Wellness Wendy vending machine in the Student Union next to the gym. Offering essential sexual wellness products, namely Plan B, at discounted rates, Wendy has provided a convenient, discrete, and more affordable means for students to access such products on Davidson’s campus.
A key step in our mission was to resume our efforts to implement dining dollar capabilities to Wellness Wendy, after being told it was impossible due to technical dilemmas. In November of 2021, the Wendy committee initiated contact with Richard Terry from Auxiliary Services, asking what steps would be necessary to add dining dollar functionality to the machine. Auxiliary Services responded, saying that dining dollars can only be used to purchase food items. In response, we pointed out that there are several locations on campus where students can purchase non-food items using dining dollars.
Terry was back in contact in mid-January. He said that he spoke with his staff, and had decided that it does not make sense for meal plans to be used to purchase Plan B. He also threatened to implement a new policy restricting all students from purchasing non-food items with dining dollars. Given that the main objective of the Wellness Wendy team is to increase accessibility to essential health items for all students, we responded to Terry, saying that it would be incredibly counterproductive to further restrict which items students are permitted to purchase with their dining dollars.
After reaching out to the Dean of Students Office, Byron McCrae emailed our committee, “If the College is going to be castigated as hypocritical for offering these products at Commons Market, the products will likely be removed.”
After weeks of our questions being passed back and forth between administrators without consistent answers, we were finally notified that a decision had been reached: dining dollars will no longer be able to be used to purchase any non-food items, including those at Commons Market.
A key step in our mission was to resume our efforts to implement dining dollar capabilities to Wellness Wendy, after being told it was impossible due to technical dilemmas. In November of 2021, the Wendy committee initiated contact with Richard Terry from Auxiliary Services, asking what steps would be necessary to add dining dollar functionality to the machine. Auxiliary Services responded, saying that dining dollars can only be used to purchase food items. In response, we pointed out that there are several locations on campus where students can purchase non-food items using dining dollars.
Terry was back in contact in mid-January. He said that he spoke with his staff, and had decided that it does not make sense for meal plans to be used to purchase Plan B. He also threatened to implement a new policy restricting all students from purchasing non-food items with dining dollars. Given that the main objective of the Wellness Wendy team is to increase accessibility to essential health items for all students, we responded to Terry, saying that it would be incredibly counterproductive to further restrict which items students are permitted to purchase with their dining dollars.
After reaching out to the Dean of Students Office, Byron McCrae emailed our committee, “If the College is going to be castigated as hypocritical for offering these products at Commons Market, the products will likely be removed.”
After weeks of our questions being passed back and forth between administrators without consistent answers, we were finally notified that a decision had been reached: dining dollars will no longer be able to be used to purchase any non-food items, including those at Commons Market.
Why is this important?
Throughout this institution’s history, we as students have been left to fend for ourselves as our concerns and demands fall on dismissive ears. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with any and all offices that we must in order to accomplish our mission of making all essential health products equally accessible to all students on Davidson’s campus.
Sign this petition to show Davidson that its students want dining dollars to be used to improve accessibility, whether it be at Commons Market or Wellness Wendy
Sign this petition to show Davidson that its students want dining dollars to be used to improve accessibility, whether it be at Commons Market or Wellness Wendy