In accordance with Catholic traditions, Seton Hall University's food service provider, Gourmet Dining Services, will not be serving meat on Fridays during Lent.
Dunkin' Donuts, the newest part of GDS' dining facilities, will take all meat items off of its menu on Fridays, as well.
"As a Catholic university, Seton Hall observes the Lenten tradition of not serving meat on Ash Wednesday or Fridays during Lent," said the associate vice president and dean of students, Dr. Karen Van Norman.
The University made the request to GDS and the company complied, according to Van Norman.
Some students said they felt this was unfair of the University while others said they enjoyed keeping this tradition.
"I understand that this is a Catholic university, but there are many people that aren't Catholic," Corina Hendren said.
Hendren said she felt that it is unfair to force students who do not participate in Lent to have limited options all over campus.
Like Hendren, freshman Abel Bedu said that this was unfair.
"Not all of us are Catholic; I really don't agree with it, they're forcing this on us," Bedu said.
Others, such as Megan Smith, a vegetarian, said this was helpful to her diet.
"No meat on Fridays?" Smith said. "I love it because it provides vegetarians with more options than they normally would have on a regular day in the cafeteria."
Student Javon Glenn said this had no significant effect on him.
"I don't mind, this is only one day," Glenn said. "I usually order out on Fridays anyway."
Student Kathryn Di Pietro said she was also surprised.
"I didn't know about it at first until I noticed that everything in the cafeteria was only tuna and fish sandwiches," Di Pietro said. "I went to the Cove and it was the same story until my roommate told me it's Lent."
Patrick Maroun can be reached at patrick.maroun@student.shu.edu
