When Bowdoin students returned to campus this fall, they were greeted with a surprise in their OneCard accounts. For the first time in three years, the Polar Points allocation for the semester increased from 150 to 175 points.

Polar Points are a way for students to pay at Dining venues without using meal swipes. According to Executive Director of Dining and Retail Services Ryan Miller, the Dining Service revisits the allocation of Polar Points annually.

“Some years our costs change very little, which results in little or no change to retail pricing. In other years, our costs increase to the point where we need to raise our retail pricing. This year’s increase in Polar Points allotment was done to ensure that our students maintain the same access and purchasing power as in past years,” Miller wrote in an email to the Orient.

The Dining Service determines the meal plan allocations, while the OneCard Office handles the technical side of the increase. Miller also explained that food prices at the College are determined collaboratively by purchasing teams, supervisors and managers, and noted rising food costs as a current factor.

“I think that everyone in the country is aware of increasing food costs over the last several years,” Miller wrote. “While Bowdoin Dining is purchasing in much larger volume than the average consumer, we are also not immune to the increasing cost of goods. Whether you speak about the pricing in the C-Store or across all Dining venues, we have to be reactive to the increased cost of goods as well. That said, we are constantly evaluating pricing and doing what we can to keep our prices as low as we possibly can.”

Miller emphasized the role Polar Points play in providing students with access to food outside of their meal plan. This includes the Dining venues in Smith Union: Jack Magee’s Grill and Pub, the Cafe and Bowdoin Express, commonly referred to as the “C-Store”.

“The purpose of Polar Points is to provide our students with access to à la carte purchases at our Smith Union venues and to provide guest meals without affecting a student’s weekly meal allotment,” Miller wrote. “More than 90% of all Polar Points end up being spent in the Smith venues.”