peta2 to Grade Vegan-Friendliness of Every Four-Year U.S. College

Massive Study Will Reveal How Nation’s Schools Are Meeting Students’ Growing Demand for Healthy, Humane Meals

For Immediate Release:
June 17, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Los Angeles — For years, prospective college students have consulted schools’ rankings in academics, athletics, Greek life, and more to help them choose the right college. And soon, the growing number of students interested in vegan dining will have their own go-to guide, courtesy of peta2, PETA’s youth division, which is launching an unprecedented new effort to rank the vegan-friendliness of every four-year public and private nonprofit college and university in the U.S. More than 2,000 schools will be graded nationwide.

The group is sending out a survey to schools nationwide and will rank institutions with a report-card–style letter grade based on a series of criteria, including the following:

• Whether there is a vegan entrée at every meal in every dining location
• Availability of dairy-free, plant-based milks such as soy and almond milk
• Active cooperation with students to improve vegan dining options

peta2 will reveal the rankings on peta2.com on October 7. Students will then be able to react to their schools’ grade with a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” as well as contact peta2 with suggestions for raising—or lowering—their schools’ grade.

“Today’s students want to know whether their prospective colleges are making the grade when it comes to offering delicious food that’s as good for students’ health as it is for animals and the environment,” says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. “peta2’s list will also help not-so-vegan-friendly colleges get on the right track by seeing how other schools are working to meet students’ growing demand for vegan meals, snacks, and desserts.”

Although peta2 has recognized the top vegan-friendly colleges, as nominated by their students, for the last seven years, this is the first time that any organization has ranked every university’s efforts to meet students’ demand for vegan food. This is also the first time that schools not making the grade will be labeled as such, and these schools will be given guidance on how they can improve their ranking.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.