By Michaela Papa
Hofstra has 20 eateries on campus. A large portion of these places serves food that is palatable and sometimes even good.
The quality of the food is not a complaint for the average Hofstra student. My friends at colleges from California to Florida, where the food is deemed sub-par at best, get to swipe once and eat until their stomachs are (relatively) content. Hofstra is one of the only schools I know where you pay per item. Though not necessarily a bad thing, since students can eat on-the-go, there is the question: at what price?
At Hofstra, a banana is $1.20. Outside Hofstra, I visit the local Trader Joe's where a banana costs about 14 cents. So, why is the cost of food such an anomaly at Hofstra? Why can Dutch Treats charge $40.00 for a case of water?
Last year, from what I recall, fruit on campus was $1.05. While still a hefty price to pay for an apple, it was unfathomable to think the price could become more inflated. There is over an 800% mark-up on bananas. Training a monkey named Abu to steal fruit seems more fiscally responsible than actually purchasing the produce on campus.
The disparity in product costs at Hofstra versus off-campus venues is unbelievable. I know how much a slice of bread and cheese costs in the real world. Just because it is made with the love and care of a Lackmann employee does not garner the right for it to be grossly overcharged.
Recently, there has been much talk of a potential sugar tax in the U.S. This is an attempt to further promote healthy living and lessen the country's obesity rate. The price increase on goods, such as soda and other sugar-filled items, would need to be astronomical to convince the average consumer to refrain from buying it. Personally, I think world peace could be attained if cookies were free and brownies were an acceptable form of currency, but that's an argument for another day.
If the tax is enacted to promote healthy living, does this mean the price of say, bananas, will decrease to make healthful eating more enticing? If the sugar tax does pass, will Hofstra be looking at further cost increases on already overpriced goods? It's a real issue that needs to be addressed.
Regardless of the enactment of the sugar tax, Hofstra needs to evaluate the loss of patronage to eateries due to the exorbitant prices. The monopoly mentality that alters students' rationale is disturbing. For those stranded on campus: if you want fruit, there's a price to pay, and Hofstra dictates just what that price will be. More reasonable prices on food and beverages on campus would be all together refreshing.
While I realize there is much more that goes into the price of a banana than simply the product -- such as employee cuts, Hofstra's percentage, transportation, etc. -- in the end, nobody should have to pay $1.20 for a piece of fruit. They're usually bruised anyways.
If this editorial lacks the conviction to invoke necessary administrative action, I look forward to seeing the trained monkeys around campus.