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Allergic students appreciate special Saga foods, no meal plan option
Students happy with Saga's flexibility in helping them meet dietary needs
Nathan McClallen
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
Gluten. Lactose. Soy. Corn. Peanuts. Eggs.
That's the short list of senior Keri Long's food allergies, one of the students at Hillsdale College who has Celiac Disease, a multi-system, multi-symptom auto-immune disorder.
Despite her extensive allergies, this fall is the first semester Long has been off the college meal plan. Aside from fifth-year seniors and commuting students, there are few exceptions to the college policy.
But students with allergies said Saga, Inc., employees have gone out of their way to accommodate their needs, whether by making them special food or letting them off the meal plan alto-gether.
Nine out of 10 times, an allergy situation can be effectively managed through Saga, according to Dean of Women Diane Philipp.
In her first few years at Hillsdale, Long went to Saga about three times a week. Because she was not able to take advantage of the food she was paying for, her eating costs were double that of the average student.
"I basically told them I had to get off the meal plan," she said, "otherwise I couldn't afford to come back this year."
Her allergies are so sensitive that she has to use her own dishes and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. According to Long, she can hardly go into the student union without getting contaminated.
Senior Erin Derrick said that her food allergies were not much of a problem the first few years at Hillsdale, but when they intensified over the summer she knew she had to get off the meal plan.
She went through the normal process: beginning by contacting her dean and filing an Application for Board Excuse, then having her doctor write a letter to Saga outlining her dietary guidelines.
Philipp said that she does not get a lot of flippant requests to get off the meal plan.
"The students understand the policies, so what come to me are the legitimate health concerns," she said.
According to General Manager of Saga, Inc., Kevin Kirwan, his staff works closely with these students to try to find dishes that will work for them, while providing proper nutrition. It takes "extreme circumstances" to be allowed off the meal plan, but it does happen occasionally.
That's the short list of senior Keri Long's food allergies, one of the students at Hillsdale College who has Celiac Disease, a multi-system, multi-symptom auto-immune disorder.
Despite her extensive allergies, this fall is the first semester Long has been off the college meal plan. Aside from fifth-year seniors and commuting students, there are few exceptions to the college policy.
But students with allergies said Saga, Inc., employees have gone out of their way to accommodate their needs, whether by making them special food or letting them off the meal plan alto-gether.
Nine out of 10 times, an allergy situation can be effectively managed through Saga, according to Dean of Women Diane Philipp.
In her first few years at Hillsdale, Long went to Saga about three times a week. Because she was not able to take advantage of the food she was paying for, her eating costs were double that of the average student.
"I basically told them I had to get off the meal plan," she said, "otherwise I couldn't afford to come back this year."
Her allergies are so sensitive that she has to use her own dishes and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. According to Long, she can hardly go into the student union without getting contaminated.
Senior Erin Derrick said that her food allergies were not much of a problem the first few years at Hillsdale, but when they intensified over the summer she knew she had to get off the meal plan.
She went through the normal process: beginning by contacting her dean and filing an Application for Board Excuse, then having her doctor write a letter to Saga outlining her dietary guidelines.
Philipp said that she does not get a lot of flippant requests to get off the meal plan.
"The students understand the policies, so what come to me are the legitimate health concerns," she said.
According to General Manager of Saga, Inc., Kevin Kirwan, his staff works closely with these students to try to find dishes that will work for them, while providing proper nutrition. It takes "extreme circumstances" to be allowed off the meal plan, but it does happen occasionally.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
A. Stevens
posted 10/29/09 @ 5:59 PM EST
One of my children has such severe food allergies that the doctors and allergist both wrote notes to the private school that my child was attending. The schools response- you still have to buy the meal plan. (Continued…)
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