STAFF EDIT: Eat in, don’t take out

Dining halls are among the most fantastic niceties of the campus lifestyle ‘- they are places of abundance, indulgence and relaxation that stand out as oases in days packed with stress, strain and stinginess. In places so plentiful, it’s easy to forget the economical logistics behind the walls full of bottled condiments, the endless piles of fiesta ware still warm from the dishwashers and the artfully arranged baskets burgeoning with fruit. They all look so ripe for the picking, as if it won’t make a bit of difference if just one of these things would happen to disappear. But behind all of these well-orchestrated feasts are monstrous expenses ‘- most of which are covered, rightfully so, by student meal plan costs. Even though Boston University Dining Services spokesman Scott Rosario debunked rumors that BU works a $100 fee into every meal plan in anticipation of dining hall theft, the truth is, students are still paying, in one way or another, for the food they eat and products they use in dining halls, and should be mindful of that when considering theft.

Some may argue that with the exorbitant costs of dining plans ‘- which are compulsory purchases for all students who live in campus housing ‘- merit some free gifts along the way, perhaps a mug here and there, or a bottle of steak sauce. But when a student takes something from a dining hall, which is a communal space for all students to enjoy and get their money’s worth, up to their dorm rooms for their own personal use, all students are ultimately affected by it. While a single mug seems inconsequential, several thousand mugs stolen by several thousand students every semester makes for a little more of an impact. And when BU needs to buy new supplies, it will end up having to charge students more for dining plans or tuition.

The amnesty program that has been offered in dining halls as a guilt-free way for students to return their stolen loot at the end of the semester without punishment is a wise way for BU to manage dining hall theft. But it shouldn’t be the administration’s job to cajole students to stop stealing from their peers ‘- this makes BU students, who are so often fighting to be treated like adults and have more rights, seem more like children than ever. Conscientiousness is a value most children learn at a very young age ‘- long before the quantum physics and multivariate calculus they learn at BU ‘- and it would be wise both for their pockets and for their reputations if students placed their dishes on the conveyor belts instead of in their backpacks upon leaving the dining hall. It’s just good table manners.