State funding for the refectories: what this means for Dortmund
Since the beginning of the extreme inflation, the Studierendenwerke NRW have been in talks with the state ministry to avoid having to pass on the exploding costs to the students. At the end of March, the state cabinet announced financial aid of 6.4 million € to absorb the increased costs of purchasing goods for the refectories. Now it has also been published how these funds are to be distributed and offset. This makes it clear: students who eat in the Studierendenwerk Dortmund facilities cannot expect a price reduction - and for good reason.
The plan is to cushion and reverse price increases implemented in 2023. The Studierendenwerk in Dortmund, which is primarily responsible for students at the TU Dortmund, FH Dortmund FH Südwestfalen, had already calculated intensively with foresight for the winter semester 2022/23 and ensured that basic provision is possible without placing an additional burden on students.
A complete meal for 1.90 euros
The last price adjustment for basic services took place in August 2021. Since then, students have been able to purchase a full meal at lunchtime for only 1.90 euros. The goal of "reducing prices in NRW's refectories to the level of the end of 2022", as envisaged by the Ministry, has thus already been met. "We have been struggling with the price increases for months and have done everything we can not to make our students pay even more. They are suffering enough in the crisis as it is and we want to stand by them as a social service provider," Thomas Schlootz, Managing Director of Studierendenwerk Dortmund, explains the situation.
Calculated with the students in mind
The last price adjustment in university catering was made by the Studierendenwerk in October 2022. At that time, the changes mainly affected the services in the cafeterias, but not the basic services for students. As the Ministry of Culture and Science NRW (MKW) has now announced, the money is primarily intended to absorb price increases that took place in 2023. Thomas Schlootz: "We have not increased prices during this period, entirely in the interests of the students, and are pleased that the state now supports our approach and wants to largely compensate for the massive price increases this year with additional funds."
No price increases for 2023
The state funds made available from the special crisis management fund are intended as targeted aid exclusively for the gastronomic services of the student unions and also only for the student guest group, but not for staff or external guests. This could result in time-consuming accounting, because all expenses incurred have to be allocated to the three guest groups. Thomas Schlootz, meanwhile, emphasised the continued social orientation of the Studierendenwerk and announced that he would act in accordance with the ministry's statement: "In this way, it can be ensured that students will not have to shoulder an increase in food costs when using university catering in the second half of 2023".
