Brandeis recently began initial stages of becoming involved with the Food Allergy Research and Education's college program to improve food allergy awareness and accommodations, according Class of 2017 Senator and Chair of the Senate Dining Committee David Heaton. The program has begun research at other universities to evaluate the status of their preparedness for food allergies, according to Kate Moran, Brandeis Dining Services' registered dietician, and will soon begin a second round of evaluations which will include Brandeis.

Though the details of these evaluations are unknown, according to Moran, the evaluations will help to create standards for food allergy accommodations at universities. After FARE sets these standards, Brandeis aims to conform its policies to meet these standards, should changes be necessary.

According to Heaton, last semester the Senate Dining Committee received concerns from several students regarding food allergy accommodations at Brandeis, prompting Dining Services to make changes. "This semester, we are striving [to] fix issues including, but not limited to, the allergen information being omitted in dining halls and the failure to restock the gluten-free sections for several months." One of these changes, becoming involved with FARE, will allow Brandeis to receive official feedback on whether or not its food allergen policies properly meet the needs of students with food allergies, according to Moran.

In an interview with the Justice, Moran said that Dining Services makes changes every day in an effort to accommodate students with food allergies. According to Moran, these changes involve consistent updates to the menus, such as offering more vegetarian options at the allergen-free stations in Sherman Dining Hall and the Usdan Student Center, as well as a recent update to the inventory for Sherman's MyZone area.

Brandeis currently has several places on campus where students with food allergies can find safe food to eat. In Usdan Caf?(c) and Sherman Dining Hall, Simple Servings stations serve food free of gluten as well as seven of the top-eight allergens: milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, shellfish and wheat. The stations continue to serve non-shellfish seafood, the only common allergen allowed at Simple Servings. In Sherman Dining Hall, students can also visit the MyZone area, where students can prepare packaged, allergen-free foods, such as toast, in an allergen-safe environment. The Hoot Market has gluten-free sections for both frozen and packaged foods.

According to Moran, Brandeis offers assistance and advice for students with food allergies in addition to the allergen-free food options. Moran holds frequent office hours, during which students can visit her to talk about any difficulties they might have finding foods safe for them to eat.

For all students with food allergies, Moran recommends notifying the Golding Health Center so that Health Services and Dining Services can best accommodate any problems.

Editor's Note: Marissa Ditkowsky '16, news editor for the Justice, is the Non-Senate Chair and gluten-free representative to the Senate Dining Committee.