Riddik Fowler
palmettoreport@gmail.com

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Winthrop University has introduced a new cashless payment system across dining services on campus, which has required a period of adjustment for some on campus.

The change was first made at the beginning of the fall 2025 semester, after Winthrop introduced Chartwells Higher Education as the school’s new food service provider.

The change eliminates the use of physical cash at campus dining locations, requiring students and visitors to rely on digital payment options, such as meal plans, card payments or other campus-based funds.

For some students, the change has had little direct impact.

“It’s not something that has affected me personally, but it’s definitely something that I can see being really inconvenient for a lot of people on campus,” said Justin Bennett, an art major. “I mainly use cafe cash when I buy things at the Eagle store.”

However, some say there could be better communication surrounding the decision making process.

“It was a high-level decision to be made,” said Darren Ritzer, a professor of psychology.

“As always, there’s a communication gap. I think there’s always been…not a lack of transparency, but perhaps a lack of communication about the decision making. Even though, after the fact, you might think, ‘Okay, that decision makes sense,’ it’s explained only after it’s already been made,” Ritzer said.

Representatives from Chartwells declined to be interviewed for this story.

As the Spring semester comes to an end, faculty and students both hope to see clearer communication from those making the decisions, especially when the changes directly affect daily campus life.