With this new round of budget cuts, the student body is again reminded that it is not as far removed from the ills of civilization as this campus can often feel. While the administration has been working around the clock to try and find a way to mitigate the repercussions of the budget cuts, I have been shocked by the complacency of the student body in this process. The depression this country currently faces is not something you can fix with a SAD therapy lamp from Dick's House. We too have a responsibility to support and aid this campus through its hard times.
If I took away anything from my Econ 1 class freshman year it was this: during an economic recession, one has to make sacrifices. I understand this principle very clearly. In fact, the other day, for instance, I selflessly cancelled my Northeast season pass and I've recently decided to cut back on driving to class each and every morning from my on-campus residence. However, @BigGreenLady;) recently brought to my attention two important facts that "she still doesn't get the ending of The Wrestler" and that a group of students have come together to help Dartmouth during its economic difficulties in a unique and powerful way that shows me that kids are doing more than buying local from the Gap to help the Hanover community.
In an act of true solidarity, the practicing Kosher and Halal students came together and decided to completely adjust their normal eating patterns to help Dartmouth during this difficult time.
Last week, two students posted a link on MuslimandJewishStudentswithDietaryPreferencesatDartmouthUnite@blogspot.com a gossip blog devoted to the Kosher and Halal scene here at Dartmouth that brought students to a page titled, "SEIU: Stop Eating. It's Unfair." The page called on students to digitally devote their allegiance to a new eating schedule in support of Dartmouth and its current financial trials. Students who took the oath committed themselves to a variety of new eating rules, including an agreement never to eat Kosher or Halal breakfast during the week and, additionally, to never eat dinner after 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Futhermore, all Kosher and Halal students have agreed not to eat on Saturdays and Sundays an unprecedented display of support for the College.
Dartmouth Dining Services announced that they will be awarding the students responsible with the prestigious "Golden Tray" as a sign of their appreciation. Our readers should know that this is only the second time the "Golden Tray" will be awarded to a student. The last award was given posthumously to Billy Bob '78.
I recently sat down with the geniuses behind this cause. The two students requested that their names be withheld from publication mostly because I forgot to write theim down but also to prevent individual praise because in their opinion, "the real heroes are all of the Kosher and Halal students that agreed to stop eating on the weekends."
When I asked the two sophomores about the inspiration behind this paramount and exceptional act of school spirit, it became clear that these two were simply displaying characteristics of duty and loyalty to their school qualities that Dartmouth has constantly sought to instill its student body.
"The idea came to us last year when we first heard about the financial problems Dartmouth was facing," the taller one said. "A kid called a meeting during BFAB one day and called on all of us to brainstorm ways to help the administration. After a couple more weeks, we finally created the Equal Treatment Dining Plan." We were also able to convince the administration that first-year deans were a burden to the budget and a nice but unnecessary gesture by the College."
"Besides," the short, stumpy one chimed in, "there can't be much difference between the problems a senior faces and the problems a freshman faces. During hard times you have to trim off some of the extra fat and during this new series of budget cuts, the Halal and Kosher students decided to just actually trim down."
Before the interview concluded, the students informed me that there has been a push to add another rule to this food cause. They were unable to divulge all of the information, but from what I gather, it seems that many of the Kosher and Halal students are pushing to require that the students eat the exact same thing every day until the recession ends.
While it is unclear how exactly the recent hunger support strike will actually help Dartmouth's fiscal trouble, the behavior of a few men and women should inspire us to think about how we often take for granted the many ways that Dartmouth has accommodated to our special needs.
