Three Days Without Trays
by: Christopher Turpin ‘12With three-day pilot program complete, students get a taste of going trayless
Upon returning to the Hill from Spring Break, many Hampden-Sydney students were surprised to find that there would be a temporary suspension of the use of trays in Pannill Commons. This pilot program, which ran from Tuesday until Thursday of this week, was enacted by the Student Senate in order to collect data about the benefits of going trayless. Once the Senate has hard data as to how much water and food waste will be eliminated, it can make an informed decision about whether or not the benefits of getting rid of trays will outweigh the costs. Nonetheless, this temporary pilot program has many students upset.
It seems that the greatest issue with the program is the lack of choice involved. Many students feel that they should not be forced to not use a tray. They believe that the decision to waste less food and water is not one that should be made for them. Junior Nathan Parr says that while the push to reduce waste and costs is sound in principle, “but it is not the sort of thing that students should be forced to take part in. We should have a choice.” Another student, who wished not to be mentioned by name, likened being forced to go trayless to “tyranny.”
Despite this kneejerk reaction by many students, some seem to favor not using a tray, and encourage them to do so through ads which the Student Committee on Recycling and Preservation (SCRAP) runs on the College’s numerous advertising televisions. The posters recommend that students not use trays in order that they become better stewards of the environment and the College’s budget. Even President Howard is featured in one of the ads promoting traylessness in the Commons. While this push has not gone unnoticed by many students, the ads seem to have been mostly innocuous—perhaps because no action was being forced upon the Student Body.
In the midst of this trial program, newly elected Student Body President Kenneth Simon urges students to behave as they would if they had trays. Mr. Simon points out that there is no reason to attempt to skew the data being collected by Aramark. He says that “we cannot control the circumstances set before us, but we certainly can control our behavior.” Having come out for the Students’ right to choose to whether or not they want to use trays, Mr. Simon urges students to responsibly respond to the pilot program by reaching out to Student Government officials. The new President notes that Senate will vote on this issue sometime next week, and “they welcome your opinion.”
No matter what happens to trays in the Commons, it seems that there is no way to keep everyone happy. Numerous individuals—both students and faculty—have come out on both sides of the issue. In spite of this, there does seem to be a discernable opinion of the Student Body: “leave our trays alone.” The issue in the minds of the majority of students seems not to be whether or not they use a tray, but whether or not they should have that choice. Perhaps a more passive campaign would be more positively received by students. Nonetheless, Mr. Simon points out while the inconveniences of the pilot program are understood by the Student Government, it is necessary “in order to make a decision that would actually be given credence.”
Related posts:
Loading ...