Op-Ed, Opinion

OP-ED: Boston University needs to stand up to Aramark

Op-Eds do not reflect the editorial opinion of The Daily Free Press. They are solely the opinion of the author.

Boston University is like a second home to me, and I couldn’t be more proud to be an alumna. BU’s leadership is open-minded and receptive to listening to student concerns and committed to working with them to make their experience at BU the best it can be. When students rallied together speak up for egg-laying hens during my time there, BU’s director of sustainability took the matter seriously and joined forces with my Vegetarian Society to switch the campus to 100 percent cage-free eggs.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to still be the case. In light of Aramark’s current animal cruelty scandal, many of the concerns raised by students about partnering with Aramark have been ignored.

As one of the largest food service providers in the world, Aramark has the responsibility of being a leader in the global food supply. Instead of rising to the occasion, Aramark has chosen to cut corners, turning its back on both the students, workers and animals throughout its supply chain.

The chickens raised for Aramark’s clients get the short end of the stick, living in complete misery for the entirety of their short lives. Densely packed in long, dark and filthy sheds that smell so strongly of ammonia that their eyes, lungs and skin burn, these chickens suffer from organ failure and broken legs because of their unnaturally large bodies. Many die from dehydration just inches from water because their bodies are simply not able to function any longer.

So why is Boston University supporting a company that continues to perpetuate this type of blatant animal abuse? The Boston University that I know would not tolerate these unsustainable and unethical practices on campus. BU students have already spoken up and have asked the school leadership to end its contract with Aramark. Now it is time for our leadership to please stand up for BU students and demand that Aramark puts an end to this abuse.

Rachel Atcheson, Senior Campus Outreach Director, The Humane League

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2 Comments

  1. Great OP-ED. I really hope BU listens and does the ethically correct thing!

  2. Have not seen one student on campus talk about this issue other than a member of the humane society. What does Aramark at BU say? From what I have seen while eating on campus they do a lot with local and organic. Don’t they get beef from Maine or something. Your piece does not seem fair, you seem like a shill for another large corporation just like Aramark.