Union Freshman Deserve Their Own Dining Hall

To the editors:

While we disagree with the claim that the Quincy House dining hall has become overcrowded (“Quincy Refuses to Feed Frosh,” News, Feb. 7), we understand the Quincy residents’ point of view. We sympathize with the upheaval of one’s dining experience by an invading horde of Yard immigrants, uppity and dirty, who gobble up Bob’s Pasta and flood the grill with cheeseburger orders. The solution, though, is not freshman banishment from Quincy, because the problem is not solely with Quincy.

At issue is the entire system of freshman dining, and to an extent the rigid social hierarchy at this institution. The social hierarchy at Harvard is well-defined, not by race or wealth, but by date of graduation. Quincy’s expulsion of freshman diners is just another example of the feeling of upperclassman entitlement and the barbaric belief that we must endure a year-long rite of passage in order to become full-fledged members of this college. Meanwhile, Annenberg food is infamously unappetizing, which serves only to exacerbate the freshman-upperclassman divide.

The solution to the last problem is that the Union dorms need a dining hall of their own. An alternative to Annenberg would not only alleviate an uncomfortably long walk for Union residents, but it would also allow Annenberg staff and patrons to develop a closer relationship. As the residential houses demonstrate, a smaller clientele translates into higher quality food and a more personable dining experience. Under this proposal, all freshmen would be welcome at either dining hall, which would allow for intermingling between Yard and Union residents. The administration assumes that forcing all freshmen to dine together in Annenberg fosters class identity. Realistically, the Annenberg dining experience is almost anonymous, evoking more ire than solidarity; for those who have to walk all the way from the Union dorms, the only uniting force is frustration.

We call upon the Undergraduate Council, the administration, and Harvard University Dining Services to address this issue immediately.

THEODORE M. LECTHERMAN ’08

MICHAEL P. ANDERSON ’08

MICHAEL T. DRAKE ’08

SAMUEL N.L. ELLISON ’08

February 7