Vegan students at the University of La Verne do not choose to eat vegan only a few times out of the week, and with very limited vegan options available at the Davenport Dining Hall, they have a hard time following their dietary choices comfortably on a daily basis.
Davenport Dining Hall offers two-to-three vegan options on a regular basis, and these are mainly side dishes, which inconveniences students who follow a vegan diet. Vegan students should not have to eat almost the same food every day.
Of the 12 options that are available at Davenport for dinner, there is typically only one vegan option; it is usually a side dish of some sort, and not a main dish with a decent amount of nutrition and flavor to satisfy.
This leaves most vegan students who live on campus – and are thus required to purchase a meal plan– with the choice of eating the same food repeatedly, which may or may not be healthy enough to sustain them, or spend extra money on off-campus dining options.
Last month the Campus Times interviewed vegans on campus for the story, “More students turn to vegan diet.” Senior psychology major Lacey Corcoran shared her concerns.
“I’m not a vegan two to three times a week,” Corcoran said. “I’m a vegan every day.”
Students that are paying between $2,610 and $3,115 a semester for a meal plan should be given more options. Vegan students should not have limited choices at the dining hall compared to nonvegan students.
Senior psychology major Ariel Carey told the Campus Times that she would rather spend the money from her meal plan at the grocery store.
The solution to this, of course is simple: Davenport needs to offer more vegan choices on a daily basis, so vegans living on campus can get the variety and nutrition they need. Or ULV could eliminate the on-campus meal plan requirement for those living in the dorms.
Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.