UHDS News

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is best remembered as a civil rights leaders whose Aug. 28, 1963 “I have a dream … ” speech inspired a generation. In it, he challenged the crowd of 300,000 in Washington, D.C., to pursue a society in which people are judged not for the color of their skin but for the content of their character.

But on April 4, 1967, King delivered another speech at New York City’s Riverside Church  — and in it, he was just as impassioned in calling for an end to the Vietnam War:

“We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation,” King said in the “Beyond Vietnam” speech. “The choice is ours and — though we might prefer it otherwise — we must choose in this crucial moment of human history.”

His words echoed Monday morning through the Memorial Union Ballroom at Oregon State University, where the the 300 people in attendance observed the national holiday at OSU’s 30th annual Peace Brunch.

Keynote speaker Robert Thompson, an African-American studies professor in OSU’s ethnic studies department, said the New York peace speech signaled a moment in King’s intellectual journey where his “stance on nonviolence became more assertive.” There, King spoke precisely on the U.S.’s role in fostering what Thompson called the “triplets of misery”: racism, economic inequality and American imperialism.

…

President Ed Ray reflected on the April 1967 peace speech in his remarks by acknowledging that King knew he would spark controversy with his firm anti-war stance. Ray said he wondered if King felt a sense of urgency with his words; King was assassinated exactly a year later in Memphis.

“We need to sustain this struggle,” Ray said.

…

The brunch included performance by Outspoken, OSU’s men’s a capella group, poetry recited by OSU student Anderson DuBoise III, a traditional strolling presentation by a fraternity and sorority, and an awards presentation.

Eric Hansen, the associate director of University Housing and Dining Services, was presented with the Phyllis S. Lee Award. It is named after the former director of OSU’s office of multicultural affairs. Jodi Nelson, the executive assistant to the vice provost of student affairs, was presented with the Frances Dancy Hooks Award, who is named after the civil rights activist who joined her husband at the university in 1994 to give the keynote address at the Peace Brunch.

Read the full article: “MLK’s peace legacy.” Story by Gail Cole. Photos by Jesse Skoubo. Corvallis Gazette-Times.

Posted in Education | Comments Off on MLK’s peace legacy

Over the past few decades, rates of gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, have skyrocketed. Today, it is estimated that nearly one out of every 133 people may have some degree of gluten intolerance. Whether this is because of a rise in actual gluten intolerance or just better ways of understanding and diagnosing the disease has yet to be determined, but it does mean that more and more colleges are paying attention and providing for the needs of students who may suffer from a gluten intolerance. While there is still a long way to go in making the majority of schools safe and celiac-friendly, some colleges and universities are going above and beyond when it comes to providing gluten-free options. Here are just a few of the schools who are leading the way, though many, if not most, have programs to provide meals for students with any kind of dietary need.

1. 1. Baylor University

   At Baylor University, students can find a wide range of gluten-free menu options through the school’s dining services. Due to demand from students, the university began offering more gluten-free options in 2010, and students can find out about which dining halls and menu items will meet their needs through the menus posted online each week.

2. 2. University of Tennessee

   Students with gluten intolerance can get help through a student nutrition coordinator found on campus. These professionals can help to ensure that students get the nutrition they need without encountering any potentially harmful gluten. Additionally, Volunteer Dining offers a range of gluten-free options both in residential dining halls and in the stores found throughout the campus. For students who still can’t find what they need, the school offers the option to put in special orders, though this must be done ahead of time.

3. 3. Georgetown University

   Georgetown University is working hard to meet the dietary needs of all the students on campus. While dining halls do not always have gluten-free options, students shouldn’t despair. The school has a registered dietician on staff who can help those with celiac to find the resources, tools, and food they need. This program can provide students with everything from gluten-free foods, to a gluten-free microwave to use, so that they’ll stay safe and healthy on campus.

4. 4. Oregon State University

   Students at Oregon State don’t have to work hard to find gluten-free options in their dining halls. The school offers a list of all of the gluten-free options they serve in each on-campus dining hall or cafe. At some locations, these options may be limited, but in many of the larger dining halls, gluten-intolerant students should find a wide range of healthy and tasty foods that won’t irritate their digestive systems. If those items don’t suit student needs, there is always a registered dietician on hand to make sure that dietary considerations are met.

5. 5. Bard College

   Bard College offers dining hall services that can meet a wide range of student dietary needs, from veganism to gluten intolerance. The school is currently working on renovations to one of their main dining halls that will include a new gluten-free section, keeping these foods separate from those that might contaminate them with gluten and cause reactions in some of the most sensitive students.

Read the rest of the article “Best Colleges Online: 14 Colleges That Cater to Gluten-Free Students.”

Check out our gluten-free menu.  We are always trying to improve our menu options. Use our feedback form or contact our dietitian Tara Sanders with suggestions.

Posted in Dining | Comments Off on Best Colleges Online: 14 Colleges That Cater to Gluten-Free Students

As Cascadia settles into new location, design, students can buy produce at lower price

Vinay Bikkina | THE DAILY BAROMETER

[The Daily Barometer, Jan. 10, 2012] — Whether living on campus and using the dining centers or in an off-campus apartment making food for themselves, it is assumed college students don’t know the first thing about cooking.

Sheila Ulfers, part of the team at Cascadia Market on campus, experienced the issue first hand. “While I was in college, I did not know how to cook. So when I graduated, it was like ‘OK, what kind of foods do I want to cook?’ To me it was obvious: the healthy alternative. I just learned how to cook with healthy foods. It became a part of my life.”

That is exactly the idea she brought to Cascadia when she was hired last summer. Prior to working at Oregon State University, Ulfersworked at the First Alternative Food Co-op in Corvallis and was a general manager for the two stores they have. She brought all of the information she gained there to Cascadia and has helped expand it into what it is now.

Last year, Cascadia was located next to Arnold Dining Center and was only about half the size it is now.

“When we were going to do the remodel, I had my staff look at our history, and took the last 200 top items [that we sold], and we bought about 25 of them,” said George Coulter, food and beverge area manager at Arnold Dining.

But they still didn’t know how this year was going to work with the larger store. “We didn’t have the international cliental. We didn’t have the amount of people on this side of campus. We got Sheila hired about a week before we opened.”

For this coming term, Coulter said what they carry now will be based on what they’ve learned over the course of fall term. As well as all of the information that Ulters brought.

“What I noticed at First Alternative is that our customer mix kept getting older. A good way to start it is at the college level. So they get a sense that there is an alternative source out there,” Ulfers said. “Learning how to cook: That’s something our culture is getting used to.”

Ulfers’s main goal is to find “products that have more potential for long-term sustainability than the short-term, buy-it-now, sort of junk. I’m looking to see if I can upgrade the ingredients to sell.”

Cascadia carries fair trade chocolate candies, nut blend candies, as well as wheat- and gluten-free products. Just walking into the store, there are many obvious choices that are not available most other places. “Hopefully next summer I can bring in some more local produce,” Ulfers said.

Another one of the big things Cascadia offers that other places on campus don’t is produce. There is a large selection coming from various sources.

“Sources have been Oak Creek Farms, an organic farm managed by OSU Horticulture; Red Hat Melons, a local farm who provides melons, pumpkins and squash; Riverwood Farms, local grower who provides apples and pears; and Pacific Coast Fruit in Portland who sources products both locally and otherwise,” said Rich Turnbull, associate director of University Housing and Dining Services.

Read the full story at The Daily Barometer. Article by Gwen Shaw. Photo by Vinay Bikkina.

Posted in Dining, Orange Rewards | Comments Off on Cascadia’s new location brings healthy options, good prices

 

PHOTO: Hussain AlIbrahim, 19, sips his drink from a festive mug Saturday morning at the home of his Corvallis host, Cheryl Bryson. (Jesse Skoubo | Mid-Valley Newspapers)

Corvallis family introduces Christmas to homestay students

[Corvallis Gazette-Times, Dec. 25, 2011] — Although they have different skin colors, first languages and religious beliefs, Cheryl Bryson treats Rayan AlFedaih and Hussain AlImbrahim just like family.

AlFedaih and AlImbrahim, both 19, are from Saudi Arabia. The two are staying in Bryson’s north Corvallis home as part of Oregon State University’s homestay program with Bryson and her 16-year-old granddaughter, Nikita Dir.

“I’ve always wanted Nikita to grow up to know it’s not just Corvallis, it’s not just Oregon and it’s not just the United States,” Bryson, 61, said. “I want her to be aware of other cultures and beliefs and not to fear other people.”

OSU partners with Corvallis residents for its homestay program, which offers international students a more holistic experience while studying abroad. Stays with families can last for a weekend or a few years, depending on the host’s preference.

AlFedaih and Allmbrahim are staying for the winter term and are slowly adapting to American culture.

“People are so friendly here. There’s also a lot of green,” AlImbrahim said. He added that at home his family has just one cat, so he was unused to Bryson’s house, which is home to three cats, two dogs and three chickens.

“It’s a zoo in here,” he said.

Saturday, the group prepped for a Bryson Christmas Eve tradition of gathering at a cousin’s house for dinner. Although ham is a staple of the family’s holiday meal, Bryson made a turkey for her guests, who are Muslim and don’t eat pork.

AlFedaih and AlImbrahim said that they are enjoying learning about Christmas traditions, even though there are some parts that remain a mystery.

“I don’t understand Santa,” AlFedaih said. “A chubby man comes from the ceiling into the fireplace. There’s no logic in it.”

The equivalent holiday in Islam, the Saudi students agreed, is Ramadan. Celebrated in the ninth month of the lunar calendar, Ramadan is the month of fasting, intended to teach Muslims patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. When Ramadan is over, Muslims have a large celebration for Eid Al-Fitr, the first day of the next month.

Read more of the original article on the Corvallis Gazette-Times website.

Learn more about the UHDS Homestay Program and other local host families.

By Emily Gillespie, Corvallis Gazette-Times

Posted in Housing | Comments Off on When you’re here, you’re family

During Fall 2012, Oregon State University move-in will be spread over two days, Sept. 18 and 19. Check in will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Arrival times will be assigned to students for specific slots during the day.

Buildings available for move in on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 (Day One)

• Cauthorn Hall
• Finley Hall
• Halsell Hall
• McNary Hall
• Weatherford Hall
• West Hall
• Wilson Hall

Buildings available for move in on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 (Day Two)

• Bloss Hall
• Buxton Hall
• Callahan Hall
• Hawley Hall
• International Living-Learning Center
• Poling Hall
• Sackett Hall
• Avery Lodge (cooperative)
• Azalea House (cooperative)
• Dixon Lodge (cooperative)
• Oxford House (cooperative)

See a list of other important dates in the OSU housing application process and stay tuned for more information on Move-In Day.

Tags: 2012, co-ops, cooperatives, first day, halls, move in, september
Posted in Housing | Comments Off on Fall 2012 move-in days annouced

University Housing & Dining Services is once again accepting applications for student positions in our dining centers. In particular, UHDS seeks students that are available to work during the  lunch hour.

University Housing & Dining Services, and Dining Services specifically, employs hundreds of student staff in a variety of locations, including: Arnold, McNary, Bing’s, Marketplace West, and OSU Catering. Dining Services includes student positions in food preparation, retail food sales, dining operations, and customer service.

To find out if you are eligible for student employment please consult the OSU Student Employment Manual. In addition, all student positions must be familiar with the Student Training Manual (pdf).

Fill out the online Dining Application to apply.

Job descriptions:

• Catering Service Workers (pdf)
• Customer Service Representative – Dining Room (pdf)
• Customer Service Representative – Server/Food Prep/Cashier (pdf)
• Customer Service Representative – Barista/Smoothie/Retail Sales (pdf)

If you have previously submitted an application we still have it on file and will just need your winter term class schedule to consider you for employment next term.

If you have questions about the dining jobs application process, email DiningApplication@oregonstate.edu.

See our Jobs with UHDS page for more information on employment opportunities in the department.

Posted in Dining | Comments Off on Now hiring: Student dining center workers

Starting fall of 2012, University Housing & Dining Services will be changing the programmatic locations and offerings for a few of the residence halls.

Finley Hall to house upper classmen and conference guests

Finley Hall will change from a sole purpose residence hall for OSU students to become a multipurpose facility for a few new and current growing programs.

The seventh floor was designated as an upper class and transfer student floor this yea (2011-12). Finley will continue to provide space for upper class and transfer students for 2012-13.

In addition, two floors will be filled with OSU scholars/interns and INTO-OSU monthly arrivals that take place after hours.

The remaining floors will be used for conference housing similar to what many institutions throughout the region provide.

Honors College finds new home in West Hall

The University Honors College (UHC) Program will move from McNary Hall where it has been located for years to West Hall starting in the Fall of 2012. The hall will continue to be open to all residents, although UHC students will be given priority in the room assignment process.

Sackett Hall to house ROTC students

With the programmatic change in Finley, the areas designated for those who participate in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program will transition to Sackett Hall in Fall 2012.  Students who would like to live with other ROTC students and/or who keep the same strenuous ROTC schedule are welcome to live in a designated wing of Sackett.

— Eric Hansen, associate director

Learn more about UHDS hall themes.

Posted in Housing | Comments Off on Several hall themes will change in Fall 2012

[Campus Living, Nov. 18, 2011] — Fall is not even over yet, but you may already be thinking about your plans for next year.  Does being a Resident Assistant (RA) fit into your plans?

If you are interested in getting to know others, helping support students in their transition and connection to college, and being a resource and mentor in the residence halls, then the answer may be “yes.”

Being an RA is a great way to get leadership experience, build your resume, and gain skills desirable to employers after college – including diversity, leadership, teamwork and more.  To learn more about the process and to get your questions answered, attend any of the following information sessions:

• 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, International Living-Learning Center, Auditorium 155
• 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, Azalea House
• 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30 Callahan Hall Lounge

• 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, Memorial Union Journey Room

Applications are available starting Monday, Nov. 28 and close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16.  More information and the application can be found by visiting www.oregonstate.edu/uhds/whyira.

Jill Childress, Resident Director, Weatherford Residential College

Posted in Housing | Comments Off on It’s that Time of Year: RA Search!

[Campus Living, Nov. 18, 2011] — Staying on campus over the Thanksgiving holiday?

Dining Services will host a festive menu of roast turkey, roast top round, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy and beef gravy, sage stuffing, baked yams, green bean casserole, Lyonnais carrots, tofu-stuffed acorn squash, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 24, at Global Fare in Arnold Dining Center.

Arnold Dining Center will be the only dining center open from Thursday, Nov. 24, to Saturday, Nov. 26, with hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. All dining centers will reopen with normal hours on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Tags: holiday, meal, Oregon State University, Thanksgiving
Posted in Dining | Comments Off on Thanksgiving on campus?

[Life@OSU, Nov. 10, 2011] — Healthy meal choices are increasing on campus, and for one Oregon State student, it’s providing her an opportunity to practice skills that will help her land a job when she graduates in December.

Elisabeth Miller has had a busy fall term. She is about to graduate with a degree in Nutrition Food Management and is getting married this Friday. In the mean time, she’s been in charge of designing the menu for Pangea’s new all-you-can-eat vegetarian dishes on Meatless Mondays.

Each Monday, customers who chose the all-you-can-eat option get an entrée with three vegetarian items, and can request more of any or all three for free. And it’s not just a plateful of carrots. Miller said she’s carefully planned each offering to be tasty, nutritious and a bit adventurous.

“I try to include things that are familiar but with a unique twist,” Miller said. “I try to think about things that go well together, so they don’t feel like they’re just eating a plate of vegetables.”

Read more of “Healthy choices increasing in MU dining centers.”

Tags: dietician, Food, health, meatless, Memorial Union, MU, vegetarian
Posted in Dining | Comments Off on Healthy choices increasing in MU dining centers