My name is Danielle Marino, and I graduated from Loyola University-Chicago School of Social Work in 2008.  I am currently a LCSW working with urban youth on Chicago's southside and have Loyola to thank for helping me help others.  

I recently learned about the student-led campaign to bring cage-free eggs to Loyola's dining halls. Like so many other alumni -- and current students and faculty -- I strongly support this initiative and urge you to implement it. In fact, when I was a student, I spear-headed the same campaign without success.  I think this is important to note; even though particular students come and go, issues of justice will be fought for again and again.  It is in Loyola's best interest to make the switch to cage-free eggs now, before another generation of students makes this their issue.

Using cage-free eggs just makes sense: these eggs are produced more humanely and sustainably than conventional ("battery-cage") eggs, and are less likely to be contaminated with salmonella. That's why hundreds other other colleges and universities have already begun using cage-free eggs.
I'm happy that so many Loyola students, faculty, and alumni are talking about this important issue. I will inform my own LUC alumni contacts about the campaign, and encourage them to voice their support as well.  We will all be following the campaign closely.
Please take this rather small step that results in a large reduction in suffering and switch to cage-free eggs.  Thank you.

Sincerely, Danielle Marino, LCSW, Type 73
Class of 2003

It's time for Loyola University to do what hundreds of other universities have done and switch to using only cage-free liquid and shell eggs in its dining services. I'm excited about the steps the University and its dining team have already taken to become more sustainable, but Loyola is still using eggs from hens kept in battery cages.



The vast majority of egg-laying hens in the United States are confined in battery cages. On average, each caged laying hen is afforded only 67 square inches of cage space—less space than a single sheet of letter-sized paper on which to live her entire life. Unable even to spread their wings, caged laying hens are among the most intensively confined animals in agribusiness.



Because of public opposition to battery cage confinement, many egg producers are switching to cage-free systems. These systems generally offer hens a significantly improved level of animal welfare than do battery cage systems, though the mere absence of cages sometime isn’t enough to ensure high welfare.



Unlike battery hens, cage-free hens are able to walk, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests, vital natural behaviors denied to hens confined in cages. Most cage-free hens live in very large flocks that can consist of many thousands of hens who never go outside. The vast majority of cage-free hens live on farms that are 3rd-party audited by certification programs that mandate perching and dust-bathing areas. These advantages are very significant to the animals involved.



I understand that there has been a strong student movement on campus for Loyola to withdraw its support of these cruel and environmentally destructive farms. I wish to stand with the campaigning students and the alumni who are withholding future gifts—please do the right thing and go cage-free.



Please listen to the students and support sustainability and the humane treatment of animals today!