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Dear Editor,

In response to your article “Vegan vote flawed, nothing but publicity stunt” (Oct. 14, 2011), I would like to correct some inaccuracies in the piece. PETA2 looks at a number of factors when determining the winners of the competition, including quality and variety of vegan food and student feedback. Votes are tallied, but school size is taken into consideration as well as other factors and, ultimately, PETA2 determines which schools should move forward. This information is clearly laid out on the voting page at peta2.com/VeganColleges.

The reason for the contest is the ever-growing vegan awareness sweeping college campuses across the country that we’re excited to showcase! Vegetarian options are more popular than ever, particularly among college students, for reasons ranging from health and environmental concerns to the clear cruelty to animals involved in raising and killing animals for food. Most students are horrified to discover that chickens have their beaks cut off when they’re only days old, male piglets are castrated, and cows are branded and de-horned—all without any painkillers. These terrified animals are often skinned and dismembered while still conscious as well.

Thankfully, with Brandeis promoting vegan foods, cutting out the cruelty on campus has never been easier! Brandeis students should continue to show support for their school’s impressive range of vegan options so that the school can, hopefully, receive the national praise its students feel it deserves. For more information, visit peta2.com, where you can also order a free vegetarian/vegan starter kit.

— Amelia Jensen, College Campaigns Assistant, peta2.com