Housing offering Ramadan meal plan

Muslim students who fast during the month-long holiday of Ramadan don't have to lose all of their money on residence hall meals they don't eat.

During Ramadan, many Muslim students fast from sunrise to sunset every day. This year, the holiday began Dec. 20 and ends Monday or Tuesday.

Students who want to get a partial rebate for the meals they miss for Ramadan must fill out a request form at the University Housing Office before 5 p.m. Friday.

Housing will credit 70 percent of the meals to students Entree Plus accounts. This percentage works out to $3.15 for lunch and $4.13 for dinner.

"The other 30 percent is a fixed cost assessed that is retained by housing," said Alan Levy, director of Housing public affairs.

Education junior Ayesha Hai, a member of the Muslim Students' Association, said the fast "is a boost for spirituality" and helps Muslims concentrate more on religion and God.

"The fast is a religious obligation" said Near Eastern Studies associate Prof. Sherman Jackson.

Students can use Entree Plus in all residence hall cafeterias and at snack bars across campus. Any unused Entree Plus dollars will be credited to students' accounts at the end this semester.

Levy said about 50-60 students apply for Ramadan meal rebates each year, but numbers are even lower this year.

Levy attributes the low number of applications this school year to the timing of Ramadan and the inclement weather, which has made getting back to campus difficult for some University students.

For these reasons, University Housing has extended the application deadline from this past Monday to Friday, Levy said.

During Ramadan, Muslims must wait until after sunset to eat or drink, Hai said.

"Overall we usually get 30 to 40 people" who eat together after sunrise at either a restaurant or somebody's house, she said. "We try to eat together."

The holiday meal plan for religiously observant students began in 1991 as a collaboration between University Housing and the Muslim Students' Association, Levy said.

"It is part of (Housing's) recognition of diversity on campus," Levy said.

Jackson described the alternative meal plan as an expression of the University's good will.

"If this reimbursement is indicative of what the University's attitude has been, then that's a good thing," Jackson said.

Housing extends the option of an alternative meal plan to students for other religious holidays, including Jewish students who observe Passover.

01-13-99