After years of being ignored, students finally have a voice in the future of Dartmouth Dining Services. College Treasurer Lyn Hutton has said that the administration will honor the majority opinion expressed in a DDS referendum, which will be held today through Thursday on the World Wide Web. Students can and should stop the proposed non-refundable $800 meal plan, which would unfairly force unwilling students to patronize DDS establishments.
Students should vote for the referendum's second option, which calls for "significant reductions in services." Shrinking DDS is the only practical way to prevent implementation of the $800 minimum. DDS has lost more than $1 million because many of its services are unnecessary or redundant. A large response to the referendum and accompanying survey will show DDS management how best to cut the fat.
The referendum's third option, the elimination of DDS, is a terrible choice. Residential dining is a crucial aspect of the Dartmouth experience. Most students rely on DDS, and they should have the option to continue to dine on campus.
Those who do not participate in the referendum give tacit approval to the $800 minimum. Administrators will perceive a lack of interest in the referendum as acceptance of the $800 plan, which is the favorite of DDS management. Students must make it known that this issue concerns all students, not just an outraged minority.
