As kosher offerings on college campuses go, Norhtwestern does pretty well. During the year, kosher food is an integrated part of the menu at Allison Dining Hall and, at first glance, just another station. This allows students who keep kosher to eat with their friends and choose freely what they want to eat.
Other campuses look a lot more like the Passover version of Northwestern. Students can use their meal plans at Hillel to ensure their meals are sufficiently unleavened. At other schools, Hillels serve meals every day, not just on Shabbat or festivals. Usually, this is the only place where kosher food is available on campus, and those students who are interested in keeping kosher are stuck eating in the same place with the same people every day.
When I tell my friends from home about the wonder that is Allison Dining Hall, they stare in disbelief. At Northwestern, kosher students have an authentic “dining hall experience,” and they eat the same food that many non-kosher students choose to eat, so it must be good! However, I eat there every day for a reason that has nothing to do with taste. Because the University requires freshmen living in dorms- the vast majority of them- to be on a weekly meal plan, those with dietary restrictions are further restricted, often being stuck in the same dining hall with the same people every day.
By requiring that freshmen purchase on-campus offerings, some students wind up having to design their days around accommodating their meals. Freshmen need to get themselves to a dining hall, sometimes a specific dining hall, during specific times for every meal. Freshmen who are are vegan or allergic to gluten might have to do just as much daily meal orchestrating as a student observing Passover.
During fall quarter, when I was on the thirteen-meals-per-week plan, I had to eat at Allison for every meal if I wanted to keep a balanced diet. If I had a meeting in Norris during dinner time, I would have to throw out a pre-paid meal if I wanted to save some time and rid my hunger pangs at the Norris C-Store. If I had class up north, I would have to walk down south and maybe even back up north again for my next class. If I wanted to eat with my friends at Willard, Hinman, Plex, Sargent or Elder, I would need to spend one of my pre-paid meals on a nice green salad.
One of the main goals of this mandatory meal plan policy is to ensure that students eat their meals and socialize with their peers. While these policies address real issues, they also indirectly cause them. I certainly did not maintain a balanced diet as I found myself living off salads and Fullbars and being confined to a specific dining hall where my meals were prepaid also limited social outings. My bank account also took a hit because I had to pay a significant amount of money to feed myself when I missed a meal or I was not in the mood to eat at Allison.
It’s nice to think that NU only has student’s best interests in mind, but NU also to deal with Sodexo. If Northwestern does not sell enough meals to students, Sodexo will no longer have the financial incentive to continue working with Northwestern. However, NU uses the freshman class to fulfill a meal quota, unfairly placing the financial burden on them.
Students should not be forced to purchase 13 meals each week when other factors prevent them from eating those meals. Some students work or volunteer downtown and are off campus when the dining halls are open. Allergies and other dietary restrictions limit options and it makes no sense for students who have them to eat in the dining hall 13 times a week. NU publicly embraces its diversity, but it fails to recognize the freshman class’s diverse dining needs and preferences.
Freshmen do have the option to join their fraternity or sorority’s plan, if they decide to go Greek, and they can jump down to a special six meal per week plan. This meal policy should be changed to encourage freshmen to do what they want to do, and not what they feel they have to do.
Brian Lasman is a Weinberg junior. He can be reached at brianlasman2015@u.