One lucky Ivy Leaguer may soon be bringing home the bacon . . . lettuce and tomato.
Students at Columbia College are petitioning their student government to create a “sandwich ambassador,” whose meaty duties will entail negotiating better prices with local sub slingers for cash-strapped undergrads.
“There’s one thing that really matters in this world, and it’s sandwiches,” reads the petition by The Lion, a student-run blog, explaining that at the exclusive school, “When you’re too tired from studying to cook, sandwiches are there for you. When you’ve got midterms to take and you need a snack, sandwiches are there for you.”
Backers claim that a “significant minority” of Columbia College students consumes “only sandwiches.”
The “Sandbassador” would “work with local eateries and negotiate some much-needed discounts” and would deliver a “State of the Sandwich speech” once a semester, and, most challenging — end the $10 sandwich, because “no Columbia student should ever have to break a bill on a sandwich.”
Students from the school — and around the country — appear to be sub-porting the movement, which they said is the best thing since sliced bread.
“I’m Ellen from the University of Minnesota, and Columbia needs a sandwich ambassador,” says one backer on a promotional video posted to YouTube.
The petition started off as “something silly” but quickly became “very serious,” Jake Davidson, 22, The Lion’s editor emeritus, told The Post.
“It’s not necessarily cheap to eat around here and it’s strange that we do get deals on other things, like alcohol — but not on our lunch,” he said.
And it’s an issue near and dear to students’ hearts — and stomachs.
The petition had gathered only 350 signatures by Friday night’s deadline — 150 shy of the number needed to get a referendum on the ballot. But Davidson is looking toward spring elections.
School officials told The Post they didn’t think the petition was full of baloney.
“Most of the students are on the dining plan — and that doesn’t taste very good, so they want to go someplace else,” said one Columbia administrator. “I’m sympathetic.”