TO THE EDITOR:
Last week, there was an article written about the addition of a burrito bar in Lenoir Dining Hall. This appears to be a gain for the students and faculty who frequent Lenoir. However, the problem with adding a burrito bar to a dining hall that already includes a sushi bar is the simple trade-off of money that occurs. UNC does not have an infinite amount of money.http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2016/09/cds-brings-burritos-wok-station-to-lenoir-and-rams
Every dollar spent on luxuries and upgrades is a dollar taken away from scholarships for underprivileged students. The importance of education in determining future income cannot be understated. UNC accepts around 22 percent of students on Pell Grants (grants given to students that come from the poorest families in America) which is not far from Harvard’s 19 percent.http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/economic-diversity
Shifting money away from projects such as adding burrito and sushi bars and using it to accept low-income students would no doubt be a victory.
Scholarships and relatively low tuition costs are often available by attracting out-of-state students who pay premium costs with luxuries that they are accustomed to. I would argue the beauty of college is the ability to attract a diverse student body in which the child of the highest income family can sit next to the child of the lowest income family.
However, upgrades such as burrito bars and other luxury foods undermine the essence of higher education and reinforce a system that already supports the rich.
Nick Grant
Pittsboro
