Colleges across the nation are diminishing the use of trays in on-campus dining halls in an effort to reduce costs and to implement environmentally friendly practices.

This practice has now been applied to Thomas and Taylor Dining Halls during the current fall semester; Carman Dining went trayless during the 2010-2011 school year.

However, some Eastern students are uncertain about whether or not removing trays from the dining halls is beneficial to them.

Although initiatives across the nation promoting trayless dining are increasing rapidly in the wake of a more environmentally consciousness society, many administrators implementing these policies are receiving backlash from students.

Rudy Rodriguez, an art major with teacher certification, said he thought the new policy could be fundamentally better or could cause more disruption than it is worth.

“(It could) go either way,” Rodriguez said.

The hassle of multiple trips is likely to deter students from taking more food then needed, Rodriquez said.

Kejuan Meeks, a junior sociology major, is a student checker at Taylor Dining and said trayless dining has left more work for those working in Dining Services.

“Without the trays, a lot of people leave bowls and silverware,” Meeks said. “They don’t feel like going back and forth to clean up after themselves.”

Mark Hudson, the director of University Housing and Dining Services, said he is glad Eastern decided to give the system a chance.

“I think it will take a little bit of adjustments,” Hudson said.

Whether or not the added benefits of environmental conservatism and healthier eating outweigh the negatives is up for debate among students.

Eastern is not the only school abandoning traditional trays in favor of its cost and environmentally friendly alternative.

According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in High Education’s Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System program, trayless dining reduces the waste of water and energy that was once used in washing the trays, as well as limiting the number of environmentally damaging cleaning solutions used.

The association said the health benefits of trayless dining will inevitability be less food consumption and limited food waste.

USA Today reported in a July 2008 article that larger universities such as New York University, University of North Carolina and the University of Florida are all offering either the reduction, or elimination, of trays in dining halls throughout campus.

Janelle Exson, a sophomore psychology major, said she considers trayless dining to be a necessary step for Eastern.

“I think it encourages you to eat less because you don’t want to get up,” Exson said.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].