If you think that your dietary choices do not affect those beyond the seemingly impermeable “Wofford bubble,” think again. The food system at Wofford College provides very little freedom to students who desire to control their own diet.
One of my favorite aspects of student life at Wofford College continues to be the high percentage of students who live on-campus during their entire four years. Close living quarters create the sense of community and compassion that articulates the goals of a small, liberal arts college. But when living on campus, students must have a campus meal plan—giving students little to no option over the autonomy of their food choices.
Wofford currently holds an exclusive contract with Aramark, meaning all meal options and plans derive from a single company. The agreement between Aramark—a nationwide foodservice whose supply chain sources from different corners of the world—and Wofford states that all residential students must have a meal plan. These plans, which are often expensive and provide little variety, do not consider student opinion above the economic prosperity of the company’s shareholders.
Students with dietary restrictions struggle to find variety in the meals at Wofford College. Individuals with food allergies, as well as those with diets based on ethical and religious belief should be given the opportunity to live among student peers while purchasing groceries for and preparing their own meals. The lack of an option in exploring foods outside of Wofford does not only create a dependency on fast, unhealthy, cheap foods, but also steals the opportunity from students to purchase local in-season crops. With the current requirements, all students are required to pay for meals by Aramark headquarters over 600 miles away.
Although some initiatives to localize food at Wofford have, at best, helped Aramark consider food derivatives, the majority of Aramark’s food is sourced from large mono-crop farms throughout the world. This sourcing disregards endeavors to sustain health of local economies and ecosystems. Furthermore, the transportation of these crops from all over the world contributes to overall anthropogenic environmental degradation.
These foods are typically genetically modified, meaning the organism’s genetics have been manipulated through feats of food engineering. This practice interferes with basic natural processes, the human hand meddling even further into the intricacies of nature. The following transportation of these goods from different areas of the world contributes to a growing lack of interest in the support of small-scale farms and overall ecological destruction.
Students should be given the option to live among fellow Wofford students and seek healthy food systems pertinent to individual interest. A sustained localized food development system supports small economies and environmental stewardship.
In recent advertisements, Wofford College has projected the image of the power of the individual. Students flash by the guarantee printed on the banners posted all over campus: “It’s your world.” The College’s lack of providing an individualized experience seems contrary to the message on these signs. I suggest that Wofford live up to the power of exploring what lies beyond the borders of our college, beginning with one of the most basic human needs. Respect for food systems not only increases the health of students but also prepares young adults with the knowledge needed to sustain nutritional meals for the rest of their lives. Is our liberal arts college really fulfilling its purpose of helping us explore diverse, interdisciplinary ideas in respecting one’s ecologic and economic community if students cannot remove themselves from the boundaries of a meal plan?
