Campus has a food insecurity crisis. In 2021, the University’s Food Insecurity Action Team launched an Annual State of Food Insecurity Study, which found that one third of surveyed students said they did not have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food. This issue disproportionately affects students of color, LGBTQ+ students and first-generation students.

As we get deeper into the school year, many students find themselves busy with homework, exams and meetings. Not all students can afford the time to sit in the dining halls and eat. University Housing and Dining should allow students to take food outside of the dining halls in order to address the food insecurity crisis that affects many students on campus.

Students should be able to take food on the go with them, without having to feel like “criminals” for sneaking it out due to necessity. 

Last semester, sociology sophomore Jenna Dillon was chased by a UHD employee for leaving JCL with a cup of fruit. Dillon says she is fortunate enough to have reliable access to food but that other students may not be so lucky.

After the incident, Dillon was moved to start a petition in order to address food insecurity on campus. Many of the students who signed admitted to having gone hungry because of UHD’s current dining policies. Some even urged people to think about students who have a hard time eating in the dining hall because of social anxiety. 

Not everyone has the funds to pay for the Eco2Go program, which allows students to take food outside from the dining halls, at the cost of $7.50 and a meal swipe. This option should be provided for free.

Dillon said there are some resources, but they are not enough or convenient for students. 

“There’s a UT outpost … which is like a massive walk from Jester, so it would be nice for us to just eat the things that are literally right below our building,” Dillon said.

Students have been allowed to take food outside of the dining halls before. Josue Rodriguez, former Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications for University Housing and Dining, mentioned how UHD previously allowed students to take out food in a single-use container.

“We suspended that program (Eco-to-Go) in the 2020 academic year. Obviously, in light of the pandemic … we allowed for residents to take out food in a single-use container,” Rodriguez said.

If students were able to take food outside the dining halls before, then they should continue to have this option. Because UT’s Housing and Dining does not provide this opportunity anymore, this could potentially cause students more harm, as seen by the comments left on Dillon’s petition.

“I think originally when I shared my story, it came on like ‘Oh, pity me,’ but I really want to urge people to think about the people who haven’t spoken up because they don’t have food. Put those people in my shoes when you think about the food insecurity problem at UT,” Dillon said.

UHD needs to allow students to take food outside of the dining halls. By doing so, they would be combating the food insecurity crisis on campus and providing financial relief to students who cannot afford to buy into the costly alternative options.

DonJuan is a Plan II and economics freshman from Quanah, TX.