Students have a couple days left to convert up to 25 meals to dining dollars — until 3 p.m. Friday, when the opportunity is no longer available in the Pitt-Johnstown website’s campus services tab.

Dining Services Director Bob Knipple said, originally, students were going to be allowed to convert up to 15 meals but the number increased after student government senators requested a raise.

“I, and the members of the Sodexo leadership team, are focused on meeting the needs of the students,” he said.

“While we can’t accommodate every request, we give each suggestion full consideration.”

Knipple said it is impossible to calculate the exact cost of a converted meal because students pay different amounts based on their meal plans.

He said a student who pays for 200 meals is paying slightly less for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day than a student who pays for 120 meals.

He also said meals cost different amounts of money depending on what course is being served.

Knipple said the conversion program was developed at a time when Pitt-Johnstown offered 15 meal plans and that the program continues as a benefit for students to determine whether they have an excess number of unused meals near a semester’s end.

“We are the only school in this Sodexo region that offers it,” Knipple said. “We averaged 950 meal conversions last academic year.

“We are happy to sit down with a student and show him or her how many meals are left and approximately where they should stand at this point in the semester.”

Knipple said a new meal plan, which consist of 75 meals and 385 dining dollars, is being offered to commuters and residents of townhouses and College Park Apartments.

“Students who have contracted for the 125 meals (and) 475 dining dollars plan can continue with that plan for the remainder of the year. We just are not making it available as an option moving forward.”