It’s an interesting question — and, I think, a good idea. At Bryn Mawr, where I was an undergrad, everyone *was* required to work in the dining halls. In fact, dining halls were staffed almost entirely by students, except for high-up supervisors and cooks. Students were very close with the professional staff they worked with, and there was a very collegial environment behind-the-scenes.

All students were required to work in a dining hall before they could apply for other jobs on campus — it was the mandated entry-level position for all other campus jobs. At a school where a majority of students do work-study, you felt like an oddball for *not* working in a dining hall. Some people complained, but I think it made the dining hall experience better all around.

I can’t imagine how such a policy might transform Penn…