Hillside change representative of unhealthy trend

Boston College’s plan to no longer allow use of the mandatory dining plan in Hillside is unfortunate and unnecessary.  Yes, commodity prices are rising and the costs associated with food processing are becoming more expensive, but the University could have simply raised the amount that students contribute to the mandatory plan to offset the additional costs, akin to how the University raises tuition each year to cover increased operating expenses or any adjustments in inflation.

 

It appears that the University’s desire to maximize profits from its student base will never diminish.  When I was a student at BC, the University proposed changing the amount of pages we could print using the University’s printers (from unlimited  (yes, unlimited) to 500 per semester) due to concerns over the adverse affect of excess printing on the environment.  But when students asked whether they could use both sides of the paper to get the most out of each page, the University balked at this notion and said toner costs were becoming prohibitive. Unfortunately, it seems the same illogical and somewhat misguided reasoning that BC exercised when I was a student is still in practice today.