Vegetarians and Ohio University's Culinary Services

By Barbara Jaquish and Daniel Lesiczka

Most students are required to live on campus with a meal plan for their first two years at Ohio University. With three active dinning halls, how well does Ohio University cater to the dietary needs of their students, specifically their vegetarian students? Ethan Shultz, freshman fine art major, has been a vegetarian for the past five years and states that he is more satisfied eating in the dinning halls, particularly the one in Jefferson Hall, than he did while living with his parents. However, vegetarian of three years and freshman, Veronica Urbanik has more of a struggle in the dinning hall. She that her needs are not being met due to the limited dinning selection offered to her.

Erin Smolack, a sophomore, is an employee of Shively, OU’s most recent dinning hall. She stated that the student employees have no say in what food is served. They can physically make vegetarian food in the case of the deli, which takes some measures to accommodates vegetarians, such as separating the meat and vegetables while in storage, however gloves are seldom changed after handling meat.

The mission statement of the Ohio University Culinary Services’, found on their webpage, “is to provide the highest quality dining and consumer experience possible for the diverse university community and guests, in support of the educational mission and residential concept of our institution.”

“We have developed a variety of informational icons which are in use at each of our dining halls to share important dietary information at a glance.”

Throughout the dinning halls, on each dish label, there are nutritional icons that convey important dietary information.  For vegetarian student, this acts as a marker indicating which food is guaranteed to be purely vegetarian.

Unfortunately, no dinning hall staff involved with food selection could meet with us due to a last minute cancelation and media policies restricting interviews by most dinning hall managers. It was found out, however, that comment cares left by students are looked over and reported them to the people who select the and order the food served in every dinning hall. Reading comment cards is one of if not, the only ways dinning hall officials are able to listen to the students and take their requests into consideration so that they can better accommodate the growing needs of vegetarian students.

For the past four years, Ohio University has been ranked in the top ten vegan friendly campuses by PETA, placing number fourth in 2011.

Though their alternative dinning options have been highly praised, they are also subject to severe criticism.  Conflict and difference of opinion are inevitable in a diverse community such as OU.  Things to consider: reducing the two year meal plan requirement, introducing more options and maintaining quality food with as much selection as possible are all things that could ease the tension between displeased students and dinning hall options.

Image of OU

Image of Ohio University

Ohio University is the main attraction in the city of Athens, Ohio. The university is known for major accomplishments with the school's athletic department as well as being home to the prestigious E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. The institution produced such as individuals as Matt Laur, who currently works as the host of NBC's Today Show, where he has been since the year of 1997. 

Even with standout achievements such as these linked to the university, there is a defining image that seems to prevail above all things else. Recently, in 2011 Ohio University snagged the title of “The Top Party School” in the nation. With an ongoing perception that OU is good for nothing but a “slamming” party, this bittersweet label only adds to the perceptive representation of the institution as a party school.

Thoughts concerning this image differ when comparing those affiliated with the university, such as students, faculty and alumni, versus those who are not. Chelsea Theiken, a senior here at Ohio University, shares that one's perception of the school is up to that individual. Instead of creating an opinion based solely on what is believed the image of the school, she expands on the idea that one's viewpoint is formed based off of what he or she makes of the experience on the campus. Furthermore, prospective college students are quick to eliminate Ohio University due to the after-effects they believe it will have in searching for employment after undergraduate years. 

Theiken shares that success in finding and building a career in no way will be difficult after studying at Ohio University. 

Drinking is widely perceived as a social action on college campuses. In fact, the consumption of alcohol has steadily risen since 1992; the drinking trend continues to see this pattern even today. 

We were able to catch up with Stephanie Sindelar who is a freshman. She has not allowed the negativity surrounding the school's outside image alter her thoughts about the situation. Sindelar notes that as a newcomer to the world of college and all that accompanies it, it remains important to know the difference between work and play. Even though partying seems to be high on the list of factors contributing to the college experience, school and partying is not the same thing.

Drinking, partying, and a college campus seem to be compatible. According to others, Ohio University has proven this time and time again. Senior and transfer student, Keith Troyer, still believes that OU is by far a party school. However, he does not exactly look as it in a negative light as many others have. Instead, Troyer applauds partying as a favorable factor adding to the atmosphere at Ohio University. 

The institution is responsible for sending out thousands of graduating seniors each year to the real world to begin what will hopefully amount to successful careers. While the university may be the host of memorable Halloweens and Fests that attract young people from all over, it's also home to the Alden Library where students dedicate themselves to academic success. Kyle Triplett is the president of Ohio University's Student Senate and believes the school is moving away from the party school image that it has seemingly created for itself. 

June 2012 will witness thousands of students ending their journeys at Ohio University. Despite the perception of parties being hosted every week, the school's annual commencement creates the image of successful, accomplished students.

Food Waste at Ohio University

Jazmine Reed, Alice Ragland, Tom Pernecker

 Dinner has just ended in Shively dining hall.  There are six full trays of pizza still left, and the employees are throwing them away in green bins.   What exactly is happening to all of this food that nobody ate?  Is it donated to the citizens of Athens, the poorest county in Ohio?

A student finishes dinner, leaving most of it uneaten. 

According to Baker Executive Chef Matt Rapposelli, some food is composted, some is thrown away, and some is donated.

Although not of the food goes to waste, not all of it can be composted.  Animal derived products such as meat, dairy products and eggs make it impossible for items such as pizza to avoid going straight to the landfill.

Student food waste could be as problematic as the food waste generated by the university.
According to Shively employee Erin Johnson, students often get much more food than they can actually eat.  Many students throw away plates of nearly untouched food every day.

In 2009, the Office of Sustainability conducted an audit during dinner service over a period of four, non-consecutive days in the winter.  The audit focused on edible food consumed and disposed of by Ohio University students.

Researchers found that on January 21st, five ounces per person were wasted. On January 28th, nearly seven ounces per person was wasted. That following February 4th, the proclaimed “No-Tray Day,” nearly five ounces per person was found wasteful, and on February 18th, just under six ounces per person were wasted.

The amount of food waste the students generate creates a sustainability issue.  According to CNN.com, food waste is problematic for the environment because the greenhouse gas methane is released when foods rot.

The Environmental Protection Agency deemed methane gas 20 times more dangerous to the environment than carbon dioxide, which is one of the main greenhouse gases involved with global warming.

 The EPA says that methane traps 23 times more heat in the atmosphere than the same amount of CO2, and landfills are responsible for 34 percent of methane emissions in the United States.

Although OU could improve their efforts to decrease food waste on a university level, students should consider reducing their waste on an individual level.

“I would suggest that students use smaller plates… that way you won’t pick up more food than you’ll actually eat,” Johnson said.

Reducing food waste on an individual level and at the university level is an important step that OU can take toward sustainability.