Hofstra University
Interoffice Memo
To: Jane Doe, Director, On-Campus Dining
From: Mariana Velasquez, Lili Nash, Daniel Roeper, Siyuan Ling
Date: March 3, 2019
Subject: Proposal to offer healthier food options on campus
As students of Hofstra University, we would like to discuss with you the issues with the food choices on campus as well as their prices. We believe that what you put into your body directly relates to how you perform in school on a daily basis. Without the proper nutrients, it is hard for any student to be successful in whatever they want to do. Based on this information, we believe that changing the food options and making the prices more affordable will allow the students of Hofstra to excel in and out of the classroom. As a student athlete, there are days when practices can end up being four hours or longer, and all you want to do when you get out is eat. This is a problem, however, when all that is offered after a certain time is fried foods and desserts. Members of some sports teams, such as the dance team, are required to log everything they eat and end up getting in trouble for eating these unhealthy options, but do not have any other choice except to not eat anything at all. If a dancer were to get out of practice any later than 8:00pm, the only food options available would be mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, or cheese quesadillas; none of which give the nutrients needed to be successful. Even during the day, foods students should be eating, like fruits and vegetables, cost almost three dollars more than a chicken fingers and fries combo meal. Eating a healthier meal means sacrificing almost twice the amount of money an unhealthy meal would cost.
Problems with the Lack of Healthy Food on Campus
Eating healthy or eating a variety of nutrient dense foods in order to maintain your health, feel good, and maintain energy, is of extreme importance. Good nutrition is important for everyone, but for students especially because their minds and bodies are undergoing development. If your body is properly fueled, you will be more attentive and alert, more energetic and in turn more willing to perform the tasks necessary to be a good student- studying, showing up to classes, doing homework, etc. There is a direct positive correlation between better educated healthy students and the image Hofstra University withholds.
We all know how good fast food tastes, and although it tends to be quick and convenient, the food choices are usually very high in fat, and very low in wholesome nutrients. Overconsumption of these foods leads to obesity which can leave you feeling sluggish, bloated and dull. Athletics are a major part of any campus life, but especially on Hofstra which boasts about the achievements of its basketball and dance team. Student athletes need to be in top physical condition to meet the energy requirements necessary to compete on their teams. But, when practices go late, and the only places that are open sell nothing but fried food, it becomes difficult to take care of your body in the way it needs.
Proposed Solutions for Hofstra
We are proposing that Hofstra meet with a nutritionist in order to create a balance between campus food being quick, convenient, and also nutritious for the students and athletes. A nutritionist can help promote healthy eating habits by developing health plans, and recipes that would be better alternatives to the current foods offered. Hofstra would better better known as a campus that focuses on the wellbeing on their students, as well as their education. Introducing healthy food options and meeting the nutritional needs of its student athletes could help raise the national awareness for the school. By working with a nutritionist, we believe that Hofstra can find solutions that will work for not just the student athletes, but for the whole school. Although we don’t expect Hofstra to turn completely away from processed foods and other current on-campus options, we believe that significantly more nutritious options should be included and promoted for the well being of the students. In addition to just the normal students, the student athletes that help promote the school are under constant pressure from their coaches to eat healthy, and this can be unfair at times due to the lack of healthy options. Providing these options will lead to less stress on the student athletes as well as boost their performances for the school.
Recommendation and Conclusion
We believe that this request needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. Hopefully, by the start of the Fall 2019 semester, we want to have already met with a nutritionist and have a step by step outline of what needs to be accomplished. This way, we can begin implementing the new, healthier food choices throughout the semester and have it fully implemented by the spring of 2020.
The biggest resource we would need is a licensed nutritionist who can help Hofstra come up with healthier food options and a plan of action. We would also need full cooperation of the dining services on campus to help put this plan into action. Without their cooperation, we will not be able to fulfill our plan and successfully implement healthier food into campus. The goal is to keep the dining staff Hofstra already has, but just train them on how to prepare healthier meal choices. We know that some of the newer food options may cost more than what Hofstra previously offered, so we will need money from the school in full for this to be a successful change.
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