"I would like there to be more Kosher food available to the students of CSU because on days when I forget to pack lunch there is very little that I can eat here," said Tova Bernbaum, Cauldron Culture Editor. She sometimes must resort to snacking on granola bars, licorice, and Boston Baked Beans, all of which are Kosher.

For Muslim students, the requirements are just as strict. Mazen Arafeh, a residence assistant in Viking Hall, said that Muslim religion forbids the consumption of pork or anything that has been remotely touched by pork. Because of this, Arafeh approached the staff of Aramark and Dining Services about a year ago, when he found that breakfast foods prepared for Muslim students were being handled by the same utensils that were used to prepare pork dished.

"They were very cooperative," Arafeh said. "They took some steps to make changes. They prepared vegetables separately. They used different utensils. Then this year, things went back to the way they were."

As a result of Arafeh's discussion with Dining Services, procedures were changed so that Muslim students would be able to eat breakfast without the fear of having food that had been touched by utensils that also handled pork. Last August, Arafeh alleges that food service workers reverted to the same practice. This time, according to Arafeh, Dining Services weren't as responsive.

"I have talked to them more than once," Arafeh said. "I talked to them at an RA meeting and I had offered some possible solutions."

Guy Humeniuk, the General Manager of Aramark, does admit that Aramark did in fact lapse back into using the same utensils to handle the Muslim students' food, as well as handle pork.

"It was a lack of understanding from our staff. We had a new grill guy, who wasn't aware of the religious requirements. Once we made him aware of the problem, the problem was over," said Humeniuk.

Arafeh is skeptical of Humeniuk's proclaimed "changes" and has written Dr. Diane Dillard, Dean of Student Life, Director of International Student Services, and Dr. Njeri Nuru-Holm, Vice-Provost of Minority Affairs and Community Relations.

"I'm not asking much," Arafeh said. "I need to see action taken."

Arafeh, along with members of the Muslim Student Association, Tagar and Hillel, CSU's Jewish organizations, Dr. Dillard, Dr. Burke, Humeniuk, and Director of Auxiliary Services, Kent Dohrman, have agreed to meet sometime in the future to discuss the issue further. The topics of this proposed meeting will be the feasibility of having prepackaged Kosher food to accommodate Jewish students, a step that Humeniuk is hesitant to take.

"The problem with prepackaged food is that it's incredibly expensive. We would like to provide of all students. Cost is something we all have to discuss." Humeniuk noted that because of the facilities available on the CSU campus, his staff is at a disadvantage.

"On other campuses that Aramark is on, we have Kosher kitchens. There isn't one here and that places some limitations on our options," said Humeniuk.