Main Entrance of Kessel Cafe (Pace Chronicle file photo)

Many students at Pace University face challenges dining at Kessel. Besides there being limited options for students with severe dietary restrictions, the options available are pricey.

For example, Kessel recently added various gluten-free products from Udi, ranging from bagels to muffins. However, it was quite a shock for students to discover that one gluten-free Udi cookie would cost $5.99. Moreover, these items are restocked infrequently.

Considering these conditions, many students with dietary restrictions chose to dine or buy groceries off campus. But this raises a bigger question: why are students who cannot eat in Kessel required to get a meal plan like students who do not face the same struggles?

Every Pace University student must get a meal plan of at least $250 per semester. While there is a way for students who have religious and medical dietary restrictions to get an exemption or a reduced meal plan, it is a long and difficult process.

Anna Giacalone previously documented the procedure in a 2019 article. She stated that students must “first meet with the Director of Dining Services before submitting official forms and letters from a licensed physician or a religious leader. These steps must also be completed within the first two weeks of a semester, and an exemption will not be automatically renewed each academic year.”

For students who can eat no items in Kessel, the required $500 an academic year can go to purchasing food off campus that is safe for them to consume. Such is especially true for students who dorm without the immediate support of a guardian to provide for them as many commuters do.

For example, Kessel recently added various gluten-free products from Udi, ranging from bagels to muffins. However, it was quite a shock for students to discover that one gluten-free Udi cookie would cost $5.99. Moreover, these items are restocked infrequently.

One student who dorms named Hailey, with a wide array of severe allergies and dietary restrictions, was willing to share her experiences with the Chronicle. Hailey is allergic to all nuts, gluten, seafood, oats, and barley.

When asked how she navigates around Kessel not having many options for her to consume, she said, “Last year, when I still had a meal plan, it was nearly impossible for me to eat anything. There was cross-contamination at every station, and when I asked for gluten-free bread all of the workers would tell me they either don’t have anymore, they don’t know if they have that, or I was met with rude comments. They would tell me that it was hard for them not to cross-contaminate and that gluten-free bread was hard to work with at the station. That led to me constantly eating out or eating little snacks throughout the day. Now, I don’t even go to Kessel anymore because there is still nothing for me to eat.”

Hailey later adds that she believes Pace needs more gluten-free options that do not present the risk of cross-contamination.

With ten percent of college students on meal plans having at least one dietary restriction, universities must accommodate their needs. Students who pay thousands of dollars in tuition each year deserve an affordable and abundant number of options that fit into their diet. While Pace University has taken steps in the right direction, they still have a long way to go.