Student grabs some silverware before sitting down to eat in Cougar Woods. | Hannah Laamoumi/The Daily Cougar
Students “borrowing” dishware from Cougar Woods and Moody Towers Fresh Food Co. has prompted UH Dining Services to begin a dish amnesty program as a response to a dish shortage. The program encourages students to return any borrowed dishware to front registers without any questions being asked and without facing penalties.
The continued and increasing borrowing is disrupting operations in the dining halls, Herbert said. More than 800 plates, bowls, cups and silverware sets have disappeared since the since the beginning of the semester.
After taking dishes last year, psychology sophomore Corinne Green said she would not do it again this year because of the shortage.
“It was after a fire drill, and I didn’t want to have to wait to go back into the cafeteria to eat more,” Corinne said.
“I just took what I needed and took it up to my room and I used it. I think I kept it until the end of the year, but at that time, they weren’t having a problem with dishes being lost. I don’t think I would do it now because they obviously have a shortage.”
Both dining facilities operate under sustainability initiatives and try to avoid the use of styrofoam and reduce paper cup waste, Hebert said. With more dishes disappearing from these facilities, they have had to revert to the use of disposable cups, plates and bowls to keep up with demand during heavy dining periods.
“This trend begins at the start of every semester, but we really begin to have shortages about a month into the semester,” Herbert said.
“If this trend continues to occur and we are unable to recover the dishware we may have to evaluate other options. We ask that students return the dishware or utilize the reusable to-go program.”
Oh GOOD GRIEF! Stop stealing the dang dishes! Your meals are prepared and served to you. The least you can do is not STEAL THE DISHES!
I think that’s called THEFT!
People seriously need to stop being thieves. I too noticed the increased use of styrofoam/disposable dishware during the semester and thought it pretty much goes against any so-called sustainability measure the cafeterias are supposed to operate as. This should’ve been addressed much earlier though, but I guess expecting common sense from some UH students is too much to ask.
Miss Green displayed some selfishness here by trying to excuse herself of her actions by claiming she felt too lazy or impatient to come back. You know, you can just leave dishes on the table and return back to it, right?
Which also brings up another point: why must there be fire drills in the cafeteria? Everyone knows where the exits are, and this just lets food get cold or rancid by the time students return back, and then the staff pretty much tosses it up all in the garbage to ensure people don’t get sick or whatever. Honestly, there’s little purpose in doing such stupid drils in an eating environment and even if there’s some law, it’s pretty idiotic.
The students who did it last year should replace the missing dishware from the dining hall. It’s a good thing that they thought that they will not do that again this year because they are aware of the shortage.