Letters to the Editor | Class gift supports sustainability

We would like to thank everyone who has expressed support for our class gift. We have been overwhelmed by people’s enthusiasm and participation.

In the past week, some concerns have been raised regarding the environmental effects of implementing a V-Cash payment option on campus vending machines. We would like to take this opportunity to address these concerns.

The Sophomore Class Gift Committee, comprised of nine representatives from the sophomore class, believes that this new payment option will be convenient and practical for students. That said, we acknowledge that sustainability is a major concern on the Vassar campus. The Committee has been looking into a variety of options to ensure that our gift is environmentally friendly. With the support of the Sustainability Committee, we have decided to expand our gift to include Vending Miser technology. These devices cut energy consumption by 46 percent per machine, dramatically reducing energy costs and usage. Many of our peer institutions, including Carleton College and Tufts University, already make use of this technology.

In addition to making food and beverages more accessible, we hope that our gift will promote a culture of giving back to the community. Our class gift will support Triple J Vending, the local business who has owned and stocked all of Vassar’s vending machines for over 25 years.

Furthermore, the Committee is working closely with the owners of Triple J to increase the availability of healthier, locally made snack options. In this manner, we wish to encourage both the long-term growth of the Hudson Valley region as well as the health and happiness of Vassar students in the years to come.

We are confident that the student body will show their generosity in giving to the class gift, as so many already have.

—Caitlin Ly ’10, Co-Chair of the Sophomore Class Gift Committee