Walking into Carleton University’s Teraanga Commons Dining Hall, students are immediately greeted by prominently displayed guidelines, the last of which states:
“Please leave your backpacks and water bottles in the designated locations. You may bring in your other valuables.”
First introduced in September 2023 by Carleton’s Dining Services, students say the dining hall’s no-bag rule has caused practical difficulties and highlighted discrepancies in Carleton’s commitment to a student-focused experience.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, students could bring bags in and out of the dining hall as they pleased. According to Catherine Maclean, a third-year computer science student who lived in residence at the time, to-go boxes were also available.
“You could get a sandwich and a couple other things in a box that you could take out,” Maclean said. “I think it was pretty popular.”
The no-bag rule was first introduced at the beginning of September 2023.
Michael Sword, a student who is living in residence for his second year, said, while students weren’t allowed to bring their bag into the dining hall last year, there was an area to store bags in “cubbies”— a setup that was in place until the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
At the beginning of this academic year, the dining hall introduced a bag check for students to leave their bag while they eat in the dining hall.
On Dec. 11, 2024, lockers became available to students while in the dining hall. An email sent by Dining Hall Locker Management and obtained by the Charlatan informed students they could “book a Smart Locker for up to 2 hours to store your bags and backpacks while using the dining hall.”
Students can also book a locker ahead of time using the TZ Day Lockers app.
Initially, Dining Services did not provide a reason for implementing this rule. The dining hall’s Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and website have never mentioned the rule.
The Charlatan contacted Dining Services on Nov. 27 to inquire into the motivation behind the rule, its effectiveness and student feedback. On the same day, Dining Services agreed to provide written responses through email.
Despite three follow-up emails, a phone call and an in-person visit to Dining Services’ office, the Charlatan did not receive a response to these questions.
Though Dining Services has not given a reason for the rule, students have theories about its implementation. Some students interviewed by the Charlatan believe Dining Services was feeling the strain of students taking large quantities of food and beverages out of the dining hall.
While a strain on the dining hall’s services could be the leading cause, Carleton’s public financial records do not indicate the no-bag rule drastically changed Dining Services’ profit. During both the 2022-2023 fiscal year, when bags were allowed, and during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, when bags weren’t allowed, Dining Services reported a yearly profit of about $2 million.
Disrupted routines and eating habits
Some Carleton students have expressed frustration with the no-bag rule, citing it as a “major” inconvenience that disrupts their daily routines.
Sword said the no-bag rule has added unnecessary complications to his mornings over the past two years. He said he can’t go straight to the gym after breakfast because he cannot bring his gym bag with him into the dining hall without waiting in a long locker line.
“It’s just such a time-waster honestly. It would be a lot easier if I could just bring my stuff with me.”
While students are allowed to check their bags in a designated bag check room, this has introduced its own set of problems. Many students have complained about long lines, especially during peak hours.
“We come back from classes and then we have to wait in a long line,” said Makanna Uma, a first-year student living in residence, adding the long lines are not practical when a student has multiple classes throughout the day.
Markus Aljas, a first-year engineering student, said the newly installed lockers have alleviated some of the inconveniences of the no-bag rule.
“I appreciate that they’re putting in a couple things so at least it isn’t as impactful,” he said.
Sword said he will sometimes opt for a snack from a vending machine rather than a full meal.
“It’s easier to grab something quick,” he said.
For Zoe Claringbold, a first-year forensic psychology student, the rule has caused her to skip meals, especially around dinner time.
Josh Domison, a first-year health sciences and biology student, said when he returns to residence around 9:30 p.m. from the library with his bag, he often chooses not to go to the dining hall even if he’s hungry because it’s not practical “to go through the entire process” before the dining hall closes at 10 p.m.
A Housing and Residence Life Services residence fellow, who wishes to remain anonymous to avoid professional repercussions, said since they couldn’t grab something from the dining hall to go while running late for an exam, they went to the exam hungry.
“I just drank water [instead].”
The inability to bring a bag into the dining hall also impacts how students use their time and space. For example, Domison said he would use the dining hall to study if able to bring a bag in.
“If you’re hungry and you really need to cram … You don’t want to spend 30 [minutes] to an hour in there without studying if you have an exam.”
No takeout
In addition to the no-bag rule, the dining hall does not offer same-day takeout meals.
Dining Services allows students to take out “one piece of fruit, cookie or ice cream cone when exiting” the dining hall, but some students find this rule restrictive and frustrating.
“They get mad when you take two bananas as well,” Domison said. “That’s ridiculous. We need vitamins.”
“If you can bring a plate into the cafeteria, put what you want and then leave, [I’d] find that so useful instead of ‘You can’t take food out, period.’”
Students are allowed to submit a request for a boxed meal 48 hours in advance of picking it up.
However, Kya Betke, a first year-engineering student, said that doesn’t help if you’re running late for class.
“You had to let them know 48 hours in advance, so that doesn’t really work if you’re not expecting [to be late for class].”
Students also cannot bring their own water bottles into the dining hall. They must either refill water bottles in the shared bathroom on their residence floor, or find one of the water fountains scattered throughout campus.
While Domison, who lives on the fourth floor of Glengarry House, said he will venture on campus to refill his water bottle, he’s concerned about the impact the bag ban will have for students living higher up.
“Not everybody from floors probably higher than five are going down to one to refill their bottle every time,” Domison said. “If [students] want to bring a bottle under a litre [into the dining hall], I feel like they should be able to, just to get some fresh water.”
“A lot of people could drink out the [washroom] sink but obviously there’s still bacteria in there.”
Transparency from Dining Services and Aramark
The lack of information provided by Dining Services regarding the no-bag rule has led to student complaints regarding a lack of transparency.
Carleton’s Dining Services are contracted out to food service provider Aramark, a multinational company with clients in education, prisons, healthcare and entertainment. Aramark has an office at Carleton and its management of food services on campus includes the food, drink and staff in Carleton’s dining hall, various retail locations and catering, according to Carleton’s 2014-2015 Operating Budget Notes.
Since Carleton’s contract with Aramark is not public, there is no further information on the delineation of authority.
The Charlatan’s multiple requests to Aramark for comment about the no-bag rule, including phone calls and emails sent over the course of several weeks, went unanswered.
When the Charlatan visited the Housing and Residence Life Services office for comment on the rule, Housing and Residence Life Services said it was not involved in the decision to introduce the no-bag rule.
Anna Plugatyr, Housing and Residence Life’s admissions and occupancy officer, confirmed the decision “wasn’t made by Housing and [Residence] Life Services—it was completely Dining Services.”
When students have complaints and requests about the dining hall that are submitted to Housing and Residence Life, Plugatyr said, “we just forward them to Dining Services and then Dining Services will have to respond.”
Two residence fellows, who have lived on-campus and used the dining hall for the past two-and-a-half years, said they feel disregarded by the lack of clear communication surrounding the no-bag rule. They both requested to keep their identities private to avoid professional repercussions.
Both residence fellows said they were never provided a reason for the introduction of the no-bag rule.
“They don’t tell us anything about why we aren’t allowed,” one said, adding that if people taking food out the dining hall was the problem, they don’t believe it is fair to punish students considering the food is paid for by their dining plans. They offered the example of taking out a slice of pizza, which isn’t currently allowed.
“You can just put it on a tissue paper and go out,” they said. “But no, they’re like, ‘You have to eat it here.’ What difference does that make?”
Uma said he would understand the rule if Dining Services could “give us a valid, concrete reason.”
He said he is frustrated given how expensive a dining hall meal plan is. Students living in residence pay just over $6,000 for an “all-access” meal plan per academic year. The plan includes unlimited meals, but only in the dining hall’s environment.
Dining Services has options available for students to give feedback, including a kiosk at the dining hall’s exit and a feedback form on its website.
However, students interviewed by the Charlatan said they have noticed Dining Services’ lack of communication regarding their policies.
Comparing Aramark’s policies at other universities
Across 16 countries, Aramark serves nearly two billion meals globally each year. It serves more than 90 colleges and universities, including Memorial University, University of Calgary and Queen’s University.
In recent years, Aramark has faced scrutiny for unethical practices. The company is involved in several labour disputes, have been repeatedly accused of serving detainees and prisoners rotten and maggot-ridden foods and of participating in gross negligence.
These controversies led CU Global Promise, a club which advocated for human rights and social justice at Carleton, to create a petition in 2020 for Carleton to dissolve its contract with Aramark.
Carleton renewed its contract with Aramark in 2023.
Aramark’s operations differ across the universities it contracts. At Queen’s University, the dining halls do not have a no-bag rule.
The mandatory dining plan for students living in Queen’s residence offers 19 weekly dining swipes in the all-you-care-to-eat dining halls and 200 “Trade a Meals” where students can trade a dining hall meal for a combo meal from retail locations including Pita Pit and Pizza Pizza.
Queen’s students can also use their GOOD TO GO reusable containers, provided through their meal plan, to enjoy a takeout meal from the dining hall. Each student has a carabiner that they must trade in to receive a meal in a takeout container. The carabiner is given back to the student upon returning the container.
Sara Asselin, a first-year life science student at Queen’s enrolled in a meal plan, said she can bring bags into the dining hall and take food out.
“[I’ll] bring a container at breakfast and make a bagel or a sandwich and put it in there to have later at lunch,” Asselin said.
Many of the changes to dining hall policies requested by Carleton students align with Queen’s current model.
“You’ve given me my sandwich. What’s the difference between me eating it in the cafeteria and just packaging it up and taking it out of the cafeteria?” Uma said.
“If [Dining Services] gave us a valid concrete reason … That I would understand.”
Featured image by Miriam Visser/the Charlatan.
