University moves on in vegan competition among colleges

Vegans rejoice — the university has been dubbed one of the most vegan-friendly campuses in the United States.

Peta2, the young adult division of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has selected this university to participate in its Most Vegan-Friendly College Contest. But for some vegan students on the campus, this designation is undeserved and misleading.

The university was chosen on the grounds that there are vegan dining options on campus, like Sprouts in the North Campus Diner and the Co-Op in Stamp Student Union. But in light of recent concerns with the amount of vegetables available in the dining halls and concerns with the way animals are treated before they are served, some students are questioning why the university was selected in the first place.

"When picking the nominees, we are looking at both the quantity and quality of vegan options available on campus," Ryan Huling, assistant manager of College Campaigns for www.peta2.com, wrote in an e-mail.

The website displays a March Madness-style bracket, with four rounds of competition in which colleges face off to move to the next round. The Terps have already defeated George Mason University, and have moved on to battle Towson University. Online voting ended late last night for Round Two. The winners will be announced Nov. 19.

But some students don't think the university deserves to be among those winners.

"Sprouts leaves a lot to be desired," said Jesse Yurow, a senior environmental science and technology major and the Student Government Association's agricultural legislator. "Last night the value meal was fake meat on top of rice with a side of rice, a sad state of affairs for vegans when one of the supposed forerunners of vegan-friendliness offers no vegetable as part of its vegan value meal."

Michelle Kim, a junior environmental science and policy major and an intern for Dining Services, said the poor treatment of animals is a huge concern for vegans interested in stopping animal cruelty and often influences the decision to follow the vegan lifestyle.

"One of the pillars of veganism is promotion of the humane treatment of animals, and our current meat options do not meet acceptable sustainable or humane standards," she said.

But Assistant Director of Dining Services Bart Hipple said the university's presence in the competition is proof that officials are successfully offering adequate options for vegans.

"We're pleased and proud to be in the competition," Hipple said. "It's validation that what we're doing in the campus is going in the right direction. I think it's encouragement to keep moving in this direction."

As for concerns that there isn't a Sprouts-like option in the South Campus Dining Hall, Hipple said Dining Services is currently exploring its options and is looking for something that fits into the space and requirements that the dining hall has, he said.

"We've done our best to listen to vegans and vegetarians for years," Hipple said. "We meet with dietitians regularly and choose recipes that are most widely accepted for the menus. There are vegetarian options — like salad and sushi — everywhere you go."

Kim doesn't agree.

"There were multiple people at the Residence Hall Association Town Hall last week who complained about the lack of variety in the vegetarian and vegan options, especially on South Campus," she said. "If [the university] was a true leader in vegan-friendly dining, there would be a Sprouts-like station on both sides of campus, and vegan underclassmen would not have to find refuge in the Co-Op for the majority of their meals."

Lauren Poppe, a junior food science major and former vegan, said veganism isn't easy even with the options available at the Co-Op.

"It is too expensive during college and basically impossible without a car," she said. "There were plenty of options at the Co-Op, but they are just way too expensive."

And sophomore government and politics major Matthew Popkin said because the food from the Co-Op isn't sponsored by any meal plan, the extra expense makes it difficult to eat there.

But other vegan students are not as turned off by the prices at the Co-Op.

"I eat at the Co-Op all the time," said senior anthropology major Dane Galloway. "It's priced appropriately, but the cooperative ground-up ethic I perceive that it fosters is worth it regardless."

Still, the university's presence in the competition is baffling to some.

"I'm surprised that we're in the running," said Popkin, a self-proclaimed "hardcore vegetarian and relaxed vegan."

"I thought this was a standard; I haven't seen anything really exceptional," he said. "There are various booths, but we don't seem overwhelmingly vegan-friendly."

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