
In the midst of a global pandemic, Hamilton College has already found itself in its sixth week back at campus — and as more time goes by, our success grows even more remarkable. Through the implementation of new, pandemic-appropriate policies (such as biweekly COVID testing, emocha check-ins, etc.), we have defied the odds. Clearly, the way in which the Hamilton College administration has handled our return to campus has worked.
Yet, they can’t seem to figure out the food.
While Hamilton’s robust infrastructure around COVID-19 might
suggest to you that we could handle decent food options for the semester, you would be sorely mistaken! In an effort to reduce crowding, all campus dining halls — from McEwen to the Fieldhouse — serve the same limited meal options so that no dining hall’s food would become preferable to another’s. Additionally, all self-serve food stations are now closed, for obvious reasons. Thus, campus favorites like the Howard Diner no longer serve their hallmark offerings; Commons’ variety of options (taqueria, pasta, the grill) are all gone. And, all food is now served in non-reusable containers with disposable plastic utensils. Yummy!
So, variety is gone, which is a huge issue. Having been raised in a Kosher household, I am keenly aware of how difficult it has become to eat in McEwen, where the protein options seem to rotate between gray shrimp and gray pork. But food options for vegetarians, vegans, or anybody with certain food restrictions have been flabbergastingly pathetic; the choice is often either a salad or cereal. The lack of options have forced many students to outsource their food, choosing to shop at Hannaford to remain healthy. And remember —
all
Hamilton College students, regardless of class year, are
required
to purchase some degree of dining plan.
Furthermore, as a direct result of the lack of quality food options, some students have been forced off campus for the rest of the semester for health reasons (yes, you read that correctly!). This semester, the lack of consistent and healthy food options have made it impossible for many students to properly sustain themselves. One student, who preferred to remain anonymous, had this to say: “Aside from the obvious dip in overall quality this year, the food selection at Hamilton failed to provide me with adequate choices to fulfill my personal dietary needs, to stay healthy”.
Let’s be clear — this is not an issue with Hamilton College Dining Staff, who work tirelessly and put their health at risk by being here. This is an issue with the Hamilton administration not willing to find alternate and more sustainable options for
all
students. In the face of this pandemic, we have seen what the Hamilton College community is capable of — we find ourselves six weeks into a semester that seemed doomed for failure, without a single case of COVID-19 in the student body. We’ve spent our days attending Zoom classes and staring at our computer screens; we’ve spent our weekends inside, keeping each other safe by social distancing. The least that the Hamilton College administration could do would be to properly nourish us.