Trayless Kimball

Since its inception in 1935, Kimball dining hall has served hundreds of thousands of meals to hungry Holy Cross students. The dining hall looks much today as it did seventy three years ago and technological improvements aside, operates in a similar manner. After a long day of Campus tours and information sessions, Kimball is often the destination of the eager prospective student. As part of commencement activities, the Baccalaureate Ball is held at Kimball for graduating seniors and their families. It is truly a daily ritual for Holy Cross students to walk to Kimball for at least one of their meals.

This year, Dining Services is attempting to disrupt a seventy year tradition and make significant changes to Kimball Hall. The head of Auxiliary Services on Campus, Art Korandis, announced plans at the most recent SGA General Assembly to permanently remove trays from Upper Kimball starting next semester. This spring, the campus witnessed on of the largest debaucles in recent memory as Kimball removed trays for one day as part of an environmentally friendly week.

Practically, this does not make sense. The majority of students take a plate for food, a bowl, for salad, and several drinks. Removing trays will not result in people eating less or creating less waste. It will, however, result in more spills and cleanup for Kimball workers as students try to carry more to their table than they should. Furthermore, instead of encouraging students to eat healthy, this could lead to students opting out of a salad if it means an extra thing to carry. Students, instead would make multiple trips to the service area, creating a great deal of traffic in an already crowded area.

Kimball Captains agree that students will still take the same amount of food, resulting in the same amount of waste, if any. They point out the fact that the tray return is designed for--you guessed right! Trays. The system will have to be revamped and will require more effort from already taxed student workers. What water would be saved from not having to wash trays will have to be used to clean tables. What individual would want to sit at a messy table?

Not to be overlooked are our competitive NCAA Division I athletes, many of whom are required to consume a certain amount of calories a day. Without trays, athletes will have difficulty getting to their food and safely bringing it back to a table. Coaches must speak out on this issue. There is a reason football players are required to eat 19 out of 21 weekly meals at Kimball and sign in.

To be fair, Upper Kimball is not a profitable venture, with the dining hall providing food in a buffet style. I imagine Kimball looses quite a bit of money on Gyro night. Students, however, will not benefit from this venture. Neither tuition nor room and board will be affected. Items will still be priced the same, meaning no change in meal plans. What may I ask is the benefit to the students? None whatsoever. If the dining hall is so concerned about the environment, why does it still offer styrofoam cups or provide enough napkins for our entire armed services? When Kimball briefly cut back on these items, there was a fair amount of student outcry, and the dining hall administration caved like a cheap suitcase.

Nonetheless, the Kimball hierarchy insists on carrying out this plan despite expected student resistance. Will 2800 students dropping their food on the floor change their minds? How about upperclassmen using Lower Kimball and Crossroads for the semester? Strength may be in numbers, but the aforementioned behavior will most likely have no positive effect on the situation. The SGA Senate is expected to include a ballot question in the October election putting the future of trays in Kimball in the hands of Holy Cross students. Sadly, however, democracy at Holy Cross appears to be on the same track as when referendums and ballot initiatives go before the Massachusetts State Legislature.

Spread the word, start writing letters to Mr. Korandis, Deans Peterson, Austin, and Goodwin, and let your voice be heard. Keep trays in Kimball and keep an honored tradition alive and a sacred Holy Cross Institution the way the founders intended. God Bless all Holy Cross students in this endeavor and Kimball's continued hostility...hospitality.