By David Robbins
The University is currently working on improving facilities for commuter students, who make up 50 percent of the University, Holly Seirup, vice president of campus life, said.
The newly enacted “commuter task force” will address issues such as smaller meal plans and campus parking, she said.
The task force is led by Dean of Students Lynda O’Malley and consists of other faculty and students.
“The main goal and mission of the commuter task force is to review the experiences of our commuters and see how we can make them better,” Seirup said.
Currently the lowest meal plan the University offers is $495. For commuters who are not here everyday this is too much money.
“There should be a much lower meal plan, this way we aren’t just throwing away money because most likely we won’t be spending it,” freshman Louis Pavolunis said.
The University is trying to create a less expensive meal plan that will hopefully be available in the fall, Seirup said.
For many commuters, parking is a much more frustrating and significant problem.
Junior Robert Rathbun has been commuting for two years and is fed up with the parking situation.
“When I arrive in the morning, it takes forever to get a good spot, and I end up being late to class,” he said
Sophomore Adam LoBelia agrees.
“Either there are no spots or the spots are crap,” he said.
The reason parking is so sparse is because there is not enough space on the south side of campus, Seirup said.
“There is always parking on North campus, it just depends on how far students are willing to walk,” she said.
O’Malley said she would also like to see the creation of a game room lounge on the south side of campus so commuters can have another place to relax and wait for their classes during the day.
“It’s always a good idea to try to make commuter students stay longer,” LoBelia said. “So I think it’s [commuter task force] a good idea in principle. I think the best way they can do it would be to increase club activities on campus maybe if they revamped the game room and made it more accessible people would want to stay longer as well.”