It is the end of the semester, and once again Lehigh Dining has begun the process of extorting money from the student body. Instead of turning Water into Wine, Dining Services has begun turning Meal Plan meals into dust.

Lehigh University's Truck Sale

Take the 225 block meal plan, a favorite of Freshmen. It costs $2,230 and comes with 225 meals and $50 dining dollars. This breaks down to $2180, or $9.68 per meal. However, when using meal plan meals as cash equivalencies, a student is only given $4.25 credit. While this is understandable because both dining halls and other establishments overlap and as a result are inefficient, the loss of $5 in equity per meal is enormous, and is essentially plundering the pockets of unknowing freshmen. The exchange rate only worsens when one examines smaller meal plans, such as the 75 meal plan, which costs $12.67 per meal. The irony here is a Dinner at the dining hall costs only $12.25, meaning buying a meal plan includes a convenience charge of 42 cents.

However, the real issue is how the University handles unused meals; extorting students more than they already do.

Prices at the Lehigh University "Bulk Sale"

Turning to a case-study of Lehigh’s Dining Dilemma, A case of Gatorade is $43.99. (24 bottles, 20 oz.) A quick Google search reveals a case at Staploes for $25, and Warehouse retailer Sam’s Club sells a case for $15. Even adding in the $35 for a membership to Sam’s Club, it is still cheaper than buying from Dining Services.

Aquafina Water is even more egregious than Gatorade; $30.99 off the truck, and $4.88 at Sam’s Club.

While the examples go on and on, it is simply ridiculous to extort students by cashing in on their leftover dining dollars. If anything, students should be given cash back equal to half of the value of unused meals.

Gary Johnson - Rogue Politician

It may actually be Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico and Triathlete. Yes, that’s right: politician and triathlete. Seriously, who does that?  Sure, you’ve probably never heard of him, but he is one of the most refreshing politicians out there today. As the profile on him (link below) states, he is currently considering running for President in 2012. To some, he may be classified as a Ron Paul copycat with no chance of success, but realistically the man has some good ideas. Here are some highlights from the article:

“The fact that we are arresting 1.8 million people a year — and to what end? We have had virtually no effect on this in decades of pursuing current policy. I don’t know why we can’t accept marijuana use similar to alcohol.”

“It’s never been a consideration that I would enlist the services of a prostitute, myself personally,” he says. “But if I were to do that, where would I want to enlist that service? Well, it would probably be in Nevada, where it’s legal, because it would be safe.”

“I have not watched Glenn Beck. I don’t watch him.”

“Johnson laments that the nation is “bankrupt” and adds that the current level of national borrowing is “catastrophic.” He blames both parties for this sorry state of affairs. Johnson’ s prescription is plain: “slashing spending,” especially with regard to “the Big Four: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Defense.”

And the best quote of the bunch:

“I don’t think you’ll ever hear me invoking God in anything I do.”

This country, and the GOP particularly, need a leader who can unfetter them from the draconian members of the religious right. It also needs someone who can make the tough choices with regard to fiscal policy, and who will actually stand up and say that we are not going to expand the government. It needs someone without the ego of our last few Presidents. It needs “The most interesting politician… in the world.” Here’s to you, Gary Johnson.

Read more about Gary Johnson here.

In Lehigh’s Hawks Nest restaurant, there has been a noticeable shortage of utensils. Due to the proximity to the end of the semester, the Hawks Nest has not ordered more plastic-ware.