A simple mistake has many Piedmont students confused about their Chartwells declining balance. Every semester, residential students are given a declining balance that can be used at the Starbucks Café or the Chartwells dining hall. This money comes from the meal plan that students pay for at the beginning of the year, along with their housing and tuition fees. Students who checked their balances the morning after Labor Day were surprised to find that sum cut in half. 

“I’ve spent most of my balance already; I’ve got like $6 left,” international business major Rochelle Scott said in a post on the Piedmont College app. “I wish the policy was clearer—I would’ve been cautious with my spending.” 

In another post, theater major Milner Martin summed up many students’ less than frugal attitude: 

“I always thought $300 was a bit much on Starbucks for only one semester… I was buying AAALLL the chips (and) candy!!” 

Petraq Bardho, Director of Dining at Chartwells, expressed his apologies for the confusion and explained the miscommunication that led to the inflated balances. 

“The declining balance changed from the year before,” Bardho said. “Chartwells, with Kim Crawford, made the decision to roll over from one semester to one year. We thought, what they have left after this semester, they can use another semester. But we did not know to divide the money in two parts.” 

When the mistaken balance was brought to his attention, Bardho said, he went to the business office to correct it. Students’ balances now reflect the $150 amount allotted for the fall semester. 

“It was one mistake from the beginning. We are sorry about that, and next year we will know better.”