Dining team trades in trays Logistical changes take students by surprise

Author: H. Kay Merriman

After returning to Middlebury College, students took a break from moving in and went to eat lunch or dinner at their dining hall of choice. Whether they opted for the alternative Proctor patio, the echoing cavern of Atwater or the always-overwhelming Ross, they were surprised to discover a few changes in their dining experience. The familiar colored plates were still stacked in their neat piles, but where were the trays?

Signs, complete with the new Middlebury "Leave a Small Footprint" slogan, explained the environmentally-friendly reasoning behind discontinuing the use of trays. Director of Dining Services Matthew Biette evaluated the wastefulness of trays over the summer and officially discontinued their use on Aug. 25.

"I talked with some students who suggested we just go with the idea rather than waiting to have long, drawn-out discussions," said Biette. "Their feeling was the more discussion that would happen, the less likely we would be able to make an impact or implement taking the trays out of the dining hall."

Biette cited the desire to reduce waste as the main reason for taking away the trays.

"We have been able to save energy by keeping dishwashers off for a greater length of time - helping to reduce our carbon footprint," he said.

The removal of trays seems to have received a mostly positive response.

"I like the changes and the lack of trays because I do think that it encourages me to take less food," Danny Clark '09 said.

Other changes in the dining halls, however, have not generated such an enthusiastic reaction.

"I haven't used a tray since the first week of freshman year, but I think the lack of salt and pepper is annoying," said Jessie Gurd '08.

Sarah Buck '10 speculated that the number of salt and pepper shakers in the dining hall was significantly reduced in response to students' attempts to flip and land the shakers.

"I think that it is because of the once-a-day game," she said.

Surprisingly, she was right.

"The amount of waste [generated] by playing the 'flip the salt-shaker' game, in addition to the breaking and stealing of the shakers, adds up in a hurry," Biette said.

In addition, some students are distressed that they cannot find the big plastic container of granola at lunch and dinner.

"[The dining hall staff] doesn't leave the granola out and a lot of people have it with yogurt with dinner," said Amanda Quinlan '10.

Biette assured the granola-eaters that they can still access their daily supply of rolled oats and nuts - they simply have to look more carefully.

"It can normally be found either on the yogurt or salad bar during lunch and dinner - it is just not in the larger container found at breakfast," Biette said.

Although the granola problem can be easily solved with a small search, students have not found such an easy solution when they discover the juice machines turned off at dinner time. Biette explained that the juice machines have been turned off after breakfast not to reduce waste, but to save money.

"Juice prices have been high since the freeze of last year and new crops are just making it to market this fall," he said.

While many students support the effort to reduce the carbon footprint, they do not support the effort to cut costs when it affects their dining routine.

"I need juice at night because I don't drink soda," Pooja Shahani '09 said.

"[The College] just spent a lot of money on tire art," said Brian Swenson '10. "They can give me my juice at dinner."

The final noticeable change in the dining halls is the absence of the large knife and cutting board next to the fruit crates.

"In Atwater we have no way to cut our fruit," complained Alex Braunstein '09.

Biette cited safety and bio-contamination as the main reasons behind the knives' removal.

"Surprisingly to us, many people were not careful cutting their fruit and also cut hands, fingers and other body parts," he said.

The dining halls have received many comment cards stating that the students need to be able to cut their fruit with something sharper than a butter knife. Biette and Dining Services will not leave those comment cards unanswered.

"We will soon be returning more 'home style'-sized knives for fruit cutting rather than the larger bread slicers that had been found. We may even put apple slicers [or] corers there, too," he said.

Biette wanted to remind students that Dining Services is open to serving the needs of diners.

"There will always be plenty of food and beverages for you here," said Biette. "As you find you need more food or beverage, it will be available hot, cold and fresh."