Organic food push at Bates gets hefty donation

When deep-pocketed donors write large checks to their alma maters, it's usually for a new building or athletic facility, or maybe financial aid or an endowed faculty chair. But at Bates College, an anonymous graduate has given $2.5 million for a less traditional cause: supporting the college's use of organic, natural, and farm-fresh foods.

The gift, announced last week, ranks among the largest ever received by the Lewiston, Maine, college, and will expand the use of local and organic food on campus. In conjunction with a new energy-efficient dining hall that opened in February, the donation has also sparked a yearlong initiative on sustainable food.

"People often give to support faculty and curriculum and programs, and that's necessary and wonderful," said Bates president Elaine Tuttle Hansen. "But here is a gift that actually supports operations and recognizes that there is a financial cost to doing the right thing, from both a nutritional and an ethical perspective."

The donor stipulated that investment earnings on the donation finance the additional cost of serving more local and organic food.

The university already spends about 22 percent of its yearly food budget on natural food, such as grass-fed beef raised by two graduates, spring water from a locally owned company, bread made from grain grown organically in Maine, and farm-fresh fruits and vegetables grown a few miles from the college. It will spend 28 percent this year.

Springfield rocks the vote
It is a well-established political truth that college students vote in low numbers. But Springfield College is seeking to turn that trend on its head, sponsoring an ambitious registration drive last week that put nearly every student on the voting rolls. College officials said the campaign marked the first time a US college or university had tried to register all its students.

Except for some students living off campus, all 2,150 undergraduates eligible to vote in the fall election are now registered, college officials said. The remaining unregistered students will be encouraged to sign up soon.

"We educate our students to become leaders," said David Braverman, Springfield College vice president for student affairs. "A critical step in becoming a leader in our society is to be an informed participant in the electoral process that shapes it. We're giving our students the tools to do that."

More than 300 registered as they checked into their dorms last weekend for the start of the fall semester. The college will mail completed forms to registration offices in students' home states.

Rejected artist turns to BU
Annabel Osberg, the prodigy who is suing Yale for expelling her from its esteemed School of Art, has been admitted to Boston University's MFA program.

The 19-year-old, reportedly the youngest artist ever admitted to Yale's graduate painting program, contends that Yale kicked her out because administrators found her too immature. Yale cited her inferior work as the reason for her dismissal.

It's unclear whether the California native will ever make it to Beantown. A BU official confirms her acceptance, though Osberg has deferred her admission for a year to paint on her own.

A dart for Dartmouth
Forbes.com gave Dartmouth quite a jolt last month when it ranked the Ivy League school 127th on its inaugural list of the best colleges in America, sandwiched between Macalester College in Minnesota and Sweet Briar College in Virginia.

The Hanover, N.H., college was docked for its high levels of student debt and poor rating of teacher quality, as evidenced by student evaluations on Ratemyprofessors.com.

Dartmouth's reputation was quickly redeemed. US News and World Report, the gold standard of college rankings, rated the Tier 1 college a respectable 11th place. PayScale.com gave Dartmouth first place for the earning power of graduates 10 years out.

So which is it?

Campus Insider runs on alternate Sundays with Ask the Teacher, an advice column. To submit tips to Campus Insider, contact Peter Schworm at schworm@globe.com and Tracy Jan at tjan@globe.com.