This editorial represents the opinion of The Bona Venture staff.
As students, we should be constantly challenging the status quo when it comes to food options in the Hickey. The spring semester brought some delightful dairy changes to the dining hall, but it should only be the beginning of the upgrades. The biggest change came in the form of a Silk vanilla and chocolate soy milk machine for the earthy-crunchy vegan Bonnies. ARAMARK, the corporation who provides food services on campus, also added a yogurt bar to the middle dessert island in the dining hall. It features yogurt and topping choices including chocolate chips, granola and fruits.
ARAMARK also brought back the gluten-free station for Bonnies living gluten intolerance. The station includes gluten-free snacks, bread and a separate toaster to prevent cross contamination, following requests from students.
Yet, despite these upgrades and changes, we should demand better, especially when Bonnies living on campus are required to pay at least $2,477 a semester for the Hickey Dining Hall unlimited meal plan. Gluten-free students can now make sandwiches with wheat-free bread, but it’s not enough. According to a Jan. 16 press release, Food Allergy and Research Education (FARE) recently launched a nationwide program aimed at providing students with food allergies a safer college experience by helping colleges and universities develop uniform policies to effectively manage food allergies and potentially life-threatening diseases.
It’s imperative that we take care of each other and the dietary needs of our campus. This includes demanding better food during non-peak hours. It’s borderline disgusting to walk into the Hickey when the lunch or dinner rush is over, and the only choices are greasy French fries and pizza sitting under a food lamp. We are given platforms to voice our opinions, and all students should be using them. Meetings for the Food Committee are held every third Wednesday of the month, and all students are invited.
We should be grateful for ARAMARK’s changes this semester, but at the same time must actively campaign for consistency in the Hickey. We should aim for higher standards from open to close.
