Over Spring Break I went to DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. While there, I noticed completely different dining options. At NIU, our eating options include fried food, sugary foods and more fried food.

At DePauw, in addition to options like pizza and hamburgers, there was sushi, fruits, vegetables and a wide variety of options for vegetarians. This made me wonder: Why isn’t the housing and dining department providing healthier food for students?

The first facet that caught my eye in DePauw’s cafeteria, called “The Hub,” was the Japanese sushi chef preparing fresh sushi for students. To my left was a section devoted to vegetarians. The section look like a stand straight from an upscale grocery store. Here at NIU, the only option for vegetarians are the Boca burgers. Who wants to eat the same meal everyday?

At DePauw, there were deli sandwiches, salads and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I wondered why every NIU students can’t have these types of options. Moreover, what is DePauw’s dining office doing that NIU’s clearly isn’t?

As I look around at the dining options in Stevenson Hall, I realized it’s not difficult to see where the “Freshman 15” idea comes from. The menu includes options like chicken wings, mozzarella sticks and cheeseburgers. Personally, I do not want to be a fat person when I graduate. However, it is far too expensive to eat off campus everyday. What is a health conscious eater to do?

This is not to imply that every single item offered by Housing and Dining is unhealthy. I have seen wraps and salads in Neptune’s Trident. Additionally, both Stevenson and Grant South offer Boca burgers for vegetarians. “There are some things being done to make sure the food [at NIU] is healthy, like using healthier oils,” said Nancy Ondera, housing officer of Housing and Dining.

I do believe Housing and Dining does try to ensure students have a comfortable campus experience. However, with a student body of more than 25,000, there should be more options. DePauw University has an enrollment of 2,326 and if that school can have healthy food why can’t the students here have the same luxury?

Housing and Dining needs to step up and ensure there are healthy options for student. Moreover, Housing and Dining does not acknowledge the needs of vegan students on campus or other eating minorities.

I suggest creating more than one menu and having multiple options for students. The status quo of the “one-size-fits-all” menu does not give our diverse student body a variety of options.

In the meantime, vegan, vegetarian and health-conscious students will simply have to choose from the options available to them.