Some University of Louisville students and state lawmakers held a press conference Monday to voice their support for legislation spurred by the schools' new mandatory meal plan. Effective last fall, all students, including commuters, must purchase a $175 per semester meal plan. It has drawn protests from commuter students who say they're paying for something they don't have time to use.State Rep. Joni Jenkins is one of three lawmakers sponsoring the legislation."House Bill 305 outlines what fees public universities and colleges can charge students, and it narrows it down to academic base fees, and it specifically prohibits universities and colleges from charging mandatory meal plan and athletic fees to non-residential commuter students," Jenkins said.U of L spokesperson Mark Hebert say the university implemented the plan to pay for improved dining options requested by many students and to enhance residential life."We don't want it to be a commuter school, we want more kids to live on campus, and to do that we just need more options of where they can eat healthier food," Hebert said. The university reduced the price of the plan by $50 for commuter students last summer in response to complaints.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
