Trayless Wednesdays resolution passed
Energy-saving measure approved despite unpopularity among students
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News
Student Senate narrowly approved a resolution Monday night supporting extending "Trayless Tuesdays" in the university's dining facilities to Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Senators voted 15-14-2 in favor of extending the trayless experiment to two days a week to collect more information on the effectiveness of the program. Trayless Tuesdays began this semester and aims to cut down on the university's water use and food waste.
Several senators interviewed following the meeting said they're not sure when the extension will go into effect. President Tim Lauer said the measure could possibly not go into effect at all, though he said that isn't likely.
The resolution originally called for on-campus dining facilities to go trayless seven days a week, but an amendment introduced by Sen. Jake Johnson at the last minute reduced the measure to just two days a week. Johnson said he called for the amendment to give Senate time to gather more information on the program's effectiveness before making decisions to further extend the program in the future.
Proponents of the resolution said the measure could help cut back on the amount of water used to wash the trays as well as reduce the amount of food wasted on campus by preventing students from taking more food than they can eat.
"Life without trays is something that's absolutely doable," said Senate treasurer and chief of staff Michael Umhoefer, who supported the resolution.
"(This measure is) not going to hurt anybody," he continued. "It's not going to not allow anybody from eating."
Dissenters said Trayless Tuesdays is unpopular among students and that they didn't feel it their duty to take away from students the convenience of using trays. Sen. Abou Amara, who voted against the measure, said the resolution amounted to "environmental extremism."
"What's next - are we going to eat out of our hands?" Amara asked. "Do we need chairs? They need to be cleaned, too."
Johnson's amendment, which expanded the program to two days instead of seven, also requires the Senate Student Life and Diversity commission to report the program's financial and water savings by the end of the current Senate session. Johnson said after the meeting that the data will help Senate decide later whether or not to expand the program further.
Senators voted 15-14-2 in favor of extending the trayless experiment to two days a week to collect more information on the effectiveness of the program. Trayless Tuesdays began this semester and aims to cut down on the university's water use and food waste.
Several senators interviewed following the meeting said they're not sure when the extension will go into effect. President Tim Lauer said the measure could possibly not go into effect at all, though he said that isn't likely.
The resolution originally called for on-campus dining facilities to go trayless seven days a week, but an amendment introduced by Sen. Jake Johnson at the last minute reduced the measure to just two days a week. Johnson said he called for the amendment to give Senate time to gather more information on the program's effectiveness before making decisions to further extend the program in the future.
Proponents of the resolution said the measure could help cut back on the amount of water used to wash the trays as well as reduce the amount of food wasted on campus by preventing students from taking more food than they can eat.
"Life without trays is something that's absolutely doable," said Senate treasurer and chief of staff Michael Umhoefer, who supported the resolution.
"(This measure is) not going to hurt anybody," he continued. "It's not going to not allow anybody from eating."
Dissenters said Trayless Tuesdays is unpopular among students and that they didn't feel it their duty to take away from students the convenience of using trays. Sen. Abou Amara, who voted against the measure, said the resolution amounted to "environmental extremism."
"What's next - are we going to eat out of our hands?" Amara asked. "Do we need chairs? They need to be cleaned, too."
Johnson's amendment, which expanded the program to two days instead of seven, also requires the Senate Student Life and Diversity commission to report the program's financial and water savings by the end of the current Senate session. Johnson said after the meeting that the data will help Senate decide later whether or not to expand the program further.
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