After three years as a UB student, Viqar Hussain was looking forward buying his first on-campus turkey sub when school started this semester. He had to stick with his usual vegetarian option, however, because his religion, Islam, prevented him from ordering his sandwich.
Hussain, president of Muslim Student Association, was expecting to be able to buy a halal turkey sub, the only version of meat he and Muslims like him are allowed to eat. An agreement with Faculty Student Association, the MSA, and a local food vendor to serve food on campus has been delayed by both a shortage of halal foods suppliers and FSA procedures. And Hussain, who spearheaded the movement to get halal foods served on campus, is not happy with the delay.
"I don't really get it," said Hussain. "The students got the vendor, students got the food, all they (FSA) are doing is providing a refrigerator."
Halal, like Judaism's kosher, is a strict method for slaughtering and preparing meat. FSA does not currently have the facilities to serve halal products, so when Hussain and MSA petitioned FSA to serve the food, they suggested Buffalo's Golden Corner, a Jefferson Avenue deli and caterer that specializes in halal foods.
"You can't go just anywhere to find halal sandwiches in Buffalo," said Golden Corner manager Jeff Alkateri. "We're probably the only vender in the area that serves halal of this volume, so we're trying to establish a good relationship with UB."
Alkateri said the initial delay in providing halal food was because his original deli meat supplier closed down the week before school started. He said he now has a reliable supplier and is ready to deliver sub orders to campus, but he is waiting on FSA and Putnam's.
"I found the new supplier two weeks later," he said. "Right now FSA has asked for more info on costs, prices like what we're paying for the meat, the bread, cheese. It's highly unusual, almost proprietary."
Alkateri stressed that he was complying with all FSA rules because as a Muslim and UB graduate himself, he understand students' needs. He also said that subcontracting food service is a relatively new concept at UB.
"Sushi was the first thing they ever brought in, this would be the second. They want to break down costs like they do with their own foods," he said.
There is an expected demand for the halal food since there are approximately 700 Muslim students.
Hussain said members of the MSA listserv, with about 600 members, has actively been waiting for halal food on campus. Hussain said there are no easily accessible halal food options on or near campus, with nearly all of them requiring a car to get to them.
"The first day I had 56 people call me wanting to know where the halal food was. They are losing trust in me," he said.
Mitch Green, FSA director, said he would expand the halal selection if the demand is there.
"I hope there is. I would expand food supply if there is a demand," he said.
The issue of providing on-campus halal to the Muslim students is less about the food and more about the religion, Hussain said.
"I'm not going to back off any time soon," said Hussain. "Basically, it jeopardizes their faith. People come into college and there is all this stuff they have to deal with. Trying to keep halal is difficult, and some people just give in."
Students who are not even of the Islamic faith feel passionate about the subject.
"I am ashamed at the situation earlier, and leaving this big of a time gap before they did anything about it," said Nicholas Finoia, a freshman communication major.
Green said he is hoping that in a week or two to have the problem squared away. Halal food will be available in Putnam's, in the same cooler where the sushi is located.
