The UA was nominated as one of the top 30 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly colleges in the country by PETA2.

PETA2, the student version of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, determined the 30 U.S. nominees after two months of reviewing the dining service Web sites and students’ online responses to campus dining options, said Pulin Modi, college campaign coordinator for PETA.

Student opinions on Facebook.com and MySpace.com were also evaluated for consistency and quality concerning the dining options on campus, Modi said.

Other colleges nominated for most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly include the University of Texas at Austin, University of Colorado at Boulder and University of California at Berkeley, according to PETA2’s Web site.

The UA campus dining services provide vegetarian and/or vegan options, most prominently available at Oy Vey Café, 3 Cheeses and a Noodle and Cactus Grill.

The UA Dining Services Advisory Group has a consciousness for providing a variety of dining options for the wide array of student diets on campus, said Gale Welter, a nutrition counselor at Campus Health Service.

One member of the group is a vegan and helps the group to stay aware of the needs of students who choose that dietary lifestyle, Welter said.

Welter added that a baker on campus recently created chocolate and lemon coffee cakes made specifically for vegans.

“”There is a broad scope of choices here, and it’s good to hear (students’) needs are being met,”” Welter said.

Paul Delfeld, an anthropology sophomore and a vegetarian, said the university deserves its nomination because it accommodates vegetarians but not necessarily vegan students.

“”Everything mostly has dairy in it, so I think it would be pretty difficult to be a vegan on campus,”” Delfeld said.

Welter said vegans have a rigorous challenge to meet their protein needs, and the UA tries to provide soy products, the only protein-based source not made from animal products, for its vegan students.

“”I haven’t been convinced that either (meat eating or veganism) is right or wrong because you can be healthy or unhealthy with either diet,”” Welter said.

PETA2 is an organization that leads campaigns and provides ways for vegans and vegetarians to protest animal cruelty in their daily lives.