Tray-nappers are costing students money
Food Services faces a growing problem of disappearing trays in the cafeteria, and
if they do not turn up, students may see increases in food costs to cover the expense
of switching to all paper and Styrofoam products.
The original idea behind reusable trays was to save money that would in turn be
passed down to students, and to accumulate less trash. But it has not worked,
according to Assistant Director of Housing and Food Services, Greg Schiavoni.
“We didn’t anticipate this,” he said. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have done it. But
we aren’t giving up yet.”
The problem arises not just from trays being thrown out,
but also from people taking them to their offices or apart
ments. A recent search turned up about 40 or 50 baskets in
offices and rooms, with a dozen found in one office alone,
according to Jo Ann Coleman, director of Housing and Food
Services.
“We don’t mind people taking them,” she said. “As long
as they bring them back.”
New trash cans were installed recently that are designed so
trays and baskets cannot be thrown out. After they are in
place for a while, Schiovoni and Coleman will see if they
alleviate the problem at all or whether they need to switch to
paper or Styrofoam products. Student workers are even told
to look for the trays when they empty the trash. Food Services recently had to pur
chase 200 more to make up for lost ones.
The cost is $2.69 for the round trays, $1 for the baskets and $.04 for the tissue
paper used in the baskets. If Food Services is forced to switch over to Styrofoam,
it will cost $.06 per plate. But these plates cannot be reused and 500 Styrofoam
plates will take up more space in a trash bag than 500 sheets of tissue paper lead
ing to more money spent on trash removal.
The cafeteria serves about 1,000 people per day, according to Schiavoni. This
means that every day, if at least half of those customers eat in, $3O will be spent a
day on the Styrofoam, compared to $2O for tissue paper and trays. Over a week,
this is a price comparison of $l5O for Styrofoam versus $lOO for tissue paper and
trays. The trays themselves should only have to be bought once every few years.
Spirituality seen in more than just religion
Spirituality is always present through imagery and music, yet it often is unac
knowledged, said Dr. Elizabeth Tisdell, associate professor, at the “Women,
Culture, and Spirituality” event held in Penn State’s Morrison Gallery.
The event was one of seven free events featured in “Women and Society:
Current Issues and Topics.” Sixty people participated in a discussion about
spirituality, religion, and culture, and how they interrelate with women’s histo
ry. Tisdell defined spirituality as how people make meaning out of life experi
ences and how they construct knowledge through the symbolic process of
music and art.
“Spirituality is an aware honoring of the life force that’s happening through
everything,” she said, “It’s about a move to a greater authenticity.”
Tisdell said religion is an organized commitment to faith. She said religion
sets spiritual guidelines, which relates to culture. Culture is the shared attitudes
and beliefs within an organized group. People form religion based on their cul
ture and are sometimes influenced by visions, nature experiences, near death
experiences, or synchronicities, she said. “It’s an experience where someone
has been on your mind for a long time and all of a sudden you get a phone call
from them.”
Dr. Felicia Brown-Haywood, president of Student Support Services and
Intercultural Affairs, led the second half of the discussion with an African-
American spiritual. “I Got a New Home,” she sang, “and it’s mine.” She intro
duced several slave and work songs and explained how they relate to spiritual
ity. African-American slaves learned through oral culture.
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They can be used 10 times over, cutting down on trash and keeping costs for cus
tomers down. In a given year, with the purchase of 400 baskets and 32 weeks
worth of Jissue paper, Food Services will spend $3,600 on eat in service. In a
given year, purchasing 32 weeks worth of Styrofoam will cost $4,800, not includ
ing the cost of additional trash removal. But if trays keep disappearing, it will soon
be more economical to use Styrofoam instead of buying new trays every few
months.
Takeout food is currently being wrapped in foil and put on a plate. In the past
Styrofoam containers were used, but the packaging added too much additional
cost. Food Services has looked into what other schools are using, according to
Coleman and Schiavoni. They found that most use a combination of china and
paper. Penn State Harrisburg’s cafeteria is not set up to handle china. They found
weeks to come.
Overall, the new cafeteria has seen an increase in sales of 40 percent since last
year, Schiavoni said.
“I’ve heard mostly good things from students,” he said. “We are always looking
into shifting things as students look for more. We are infusing new foods all the
time.”
At the end of the year, Food Services plans to do inventory on the number of bas
kets and trays they have. They will perform room inspections and then determine
whether they have to switch to paper.
“We haven’t given up on the baskets yet,” Schiavoni said. “We hate to raise
prices for everyone because of a few people.”
**Food Services have asked anyone with baskets lying around their offices or
apartments to please return them ASAP**
[through music],” she said. An ecological transformation enabled slaves to feel
“free,” The idea of being set free through music and God gave slaves hope for a
better future.
The audience sang a variety of spiritual and slave songs with Haywood:
“Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” “Were You There?” “Wade in the
Water,” and “Oh Freedom.” The songs represent hope, suffering, and freedom.
Haywood ended with a call-and-response about religious healing.
it would be an inconvenience for students to have to take
plates back to another area after eating. It would.result in
plates left lying around and a need for more staff to wash the
dishes
Both students and Food Services would like to see the
prices remain the same in the cafeteria. It is self-supporting,
so contrary to what some students may
think, their tuition does not pay for any part of Food
Services. Extra money that is saved from reducing waste is
passed down to students in the form of lower prices, special
dinners and items, like shrimp and steak, and entertainment.
Students can look forward to an Elvis impersonator in the