RHA researches trayless dining halls

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Residence Hall Association will be considering changing most of the dining halls to trayless dining this semester.

Sammy Nabulsi, a sophomore political science major and president of RHA, said he had a couple of meetings last semester about trayless dining with RHA's advisors. Several RHA members visited the University of Kansas to talk to students and faculty and to see trayless dining in action last semester.

Nabulsi said that this semester, RHA is planning on researching the amount of food wasted in UNL dining halls. 

"If we can see large reductions in food waste ... we will consider trayless dining," Nabulsi said.

RHA plans to organize a campaign to make students aware of the benefits of trayless dining.

Nabulsi said one of the benefits of trayless dining would be helping the environment by conserving food.  Another reason is economics. Food prices increased 4 percent in 2007 and an estimated 5 to 6 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Reduced food waste in the dining halls will help the university save money.

The final benefit of removing trays is making students more aware of what they're eating and how much food they're consuming. Nabulsi said going trayless could help students eat less and make the student body as a whole healthier.   

One of the concerns with trayless dining could be a potential loss of jobs in the dining halls. However, Nabulsi said he doesn't think there will be a reduction in employment, but rather a relocation of employees.

Nabulsi said if the dining halls do go trayless, people will not be needed to wash trays and might be reassigned to the front of the dining halls to pick up dishes.

"I don't think (trayless dining) will be a problem," Nabulsi said.

Nabulsi said when he first heard about trayless dining last semester, he knew it was something he wanted to pursue.

"It's definitely something I hope to get done this year," he said. 

Joe Kennedy, a freshman general studies major, said he likes using trays in the dining halls because it is difficult to carry multiple dishes simultaneously.

"It just makes it more convenient," Kennedy said.

kimbuckley@dailynebraskan.com