Continuing its push for campus dining reform, Binghamton University’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America organized a protest on Friday. Dozens of students rallied for heightened health and safety protocols, expanded access to halal and kosher food options and a new meal plan system.

The rally, which began around 1 p.m. by the Hinman Dining Center, comes as the University’s current dining contract with Sodexo is set to expire this year. A YDSA-led dining petition that began last semester has received over 2,000 signatures, according to Sarah Pitcher, one of the organization’s co-chairs and a senior majoring in history.

“We cannot allow the University to settle for a half-hearted contract that only gestures at affordability,” Pitcher said at the protest. “A contract that fails to provide every student on campus access to dining through meal swipes would only perpetuate the status quo where only some of us can afford to top up our meal plan, while the rest of us rely on the 30,000 pounds of food that is distributed by our University’s Food Pantry every year, and none of us are guaranteed a safe, healthy or affordable dining experience.”

“This is what we are fighting for today, for all students on this campus to be able to afford three quality meals a day, every day,” she continued.

A speaker from the Yiddish Bund discussed the struggle that many Jewish students face adhering to kosher standards while eating on campus. He said that the University only offers kosher food at the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center for limited hours and that it is often poor quality.

Next, Muhammad Bhatti, a freshman majoring in biology who was recently elected as an off-campus Student Association Congress representative, thanked all who voiced their concerns about campus dining and shared stories about students skipping meals to conserve dining dollars.

Protesters then marched through campus to the Couper Administration Building, where speakers from the Muslim Student Association and the YDSA gave speeches.

“Food should be a human right, and we can see why right here on this campus, when people have to skip meals because they run out of money, whether it be American dollars or dining dollars, it’s never because there’s no food to give them,” said Hatim Husainy, the secretary of the YDSA, a Hillside Community representative in SA Congress and a sophomore majoring in political science. “It’s because the food is behind the gate, sometimes literally, and Sodexo would lose out on profit by feeding people at less than their current extortionary prices.”

“And that’s not just true here, it’s true all across America,” he continued. “We as a nation struggle to feed our people. One in five kids is food insecure in the richest country in the world.”

A student from the Muslim Student Association highlighted how Muslim students on campus struggle with a lack of halal food options. He explained that the University has three locations where students can get balanced halal food, with none offering service on weekends. He said that with a growing Muslim population on campus, students should not have to worry about affordability and availability.

Over the past five years, numerous health and safety violations were found at all four campus dining halls, with C4 failing seven out of eight health inspections since Oct. 23, 2020.

Before the protest, YDSA organizers printed out the full list of students who signed their petition. On Friday, the list was unfurled on the Peace Quad to highlight the level of student support for dining reforms.

The protest comes after the SA Congress unanimously passed a resolution demanding various dining reforms like expanded hours at kosher and halal stations and union protections for dining hall workers. Protesters echoed these demands, calling on the University to implement the reforms outlined in the resolution.

The University also recently announced it has “implemented a series of comprehensive steps” to meet health and safety requirements in dining halls, including inviting two Sodexo safety food specialists to campus to monitor dining hall conditions. The first inspector arrived on Nov. 13, while the second one monitored food safety and preparation every day last week.

Lori Benson, the director of marketing for BU Dining Services, told Pipe Dream that Dan McLain, district manager for BUDS, is “actively collaborating” with the SA and Student Culinary Council to address concerns raised by students.

“Last week, our Auxiliary Services team met with the organizers to hear their feedback directly,” wrote Paola Mignone Ph.D. ’23, the assistant vice president for residential experiences and auxiliaries, in a statement to Pipe Dream. “The University began a comprehensive review of dining services several months ago, using surveys and focus groups with a comparable number of students to those who signed the petition. The concerns raised then are consistent with those we are hearing now.”

“After years of efforts to increase vendor competition, we have received multiple bids for the next 10-year dining contract and now have several options to consider,” the statement continued. “Students remain involved in this process, and the Student Culinary Council will continue to provide input on meal plan structures and dining hall offerings.”

A drone was seen flying above the crowd on the Peace Quad by the Couper Administration Building. A University spokesperson told Pipe Dream that the drone was “University-owned and operated under the purview of University Police.”

The University recently partnered with Genetec, a Montreal-based surveillance solutions company, to monitor “unplanned” gatherings.

During the protest, a person dressed in a frog costume followed the crowd with a sign reading, “I Eat Flies Not Rats.” An Oct. 16 health inspection in C4 found “insects, rodents present” as a noncritical violation.

Husainy then walked inside the building to deliver the signed petition to Mike Majewski, assistant director of auxiliary services.

“Binghamton University, we will not accept exploitation from Sodexo any longer,” said Stephen DiFilippo, the public relations coordinator of the YDSA and a sophomore double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and economics. “We will not. When you sit down at the table with Sodexo this break, hear our voices, see our struggle and feel our hunger. We have one demand — implement the student will.”