The Daily Campus

Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Matt Lin Mary Lorenz, a 5th-semester political science and sociology double major and a Multicultural and Diversity Senator in USG speaks out about off-campus housing issues at Straight from the Source, a monthly meeting presented by USG, last night at the Student Union.

UConn students vocalized their concerns with trayless dining and underage drinking at the Straight from the Source meeting last night, a monthly meeting that seeks to give students an opportunity to openly speak with administrators.

The "Going tray-less" issue was the most prevalent topic. Students showed concern that the new policy is not only inconvenient for students, but also dangerous. Students spoke of dropped dishes and a need to balance personal items with multiple dishes.

Denise Beal, assistant director of Dining Services, remained steadfast in the UConn's views on the matter. She spoke of the obscene amount of water and energy usage in addition to a great deal of food waste. Rebecca Canfield, also from Dining Services, spoke about the need for students to put "more thought into what you put onto your plate."

The administrative representatives were firm in their belief that this change will better UConn. According to John Saddlemire, vice president for Student Affairs, UConn students are slightly behind-the-curve in their views on this topic. In some schools, he said, it's the students pushing a tray-less policy on their administration, rather than the other way around. He agreed with Beal and Canfield, adding that the amount of food that gets thrown out thoughtlessly "seems criminal."

As other topics pertaining to Dining Services were brought up, particularly the recent lack of paper cups for coffee, Beal reiterated that we should "do what we can to eliminate waste." Among concerns of changes in Dining Services, students were also interested in recent initiatives to lower the legal drinking age.

Due to the July launch of the Amethyst Initiative, which is working to lower the legal drinking age, students questioned UConn's stance on the issue as well as steps the university is personally taking to battle underage drinking.

Continued...

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