The Commons at Kennesaw State University has reached a new level of overpopulation this year as students face longer lines, limited seating and overwhelming stress associated with their dining experience.
This overpopulation is not due to the sudden popularity of the pizza served at the Commons but is rather due to the general, sizable influx of students admitted into Kennesaw State University this fall. Although the enrollment count for Fall 2015 will not be finalized until October, KSU has seen a steady increase in population over the years. In fact, according to the KSU Office of Institutional Research and Information Management, KSU admitted a record-breaking number of 30,806 students last year.
This year’s number of students may break the record yet again as the population increases. This increase has become more and more apparent in locations such as the Commons, the parking decks and the KSU student center.
“Kennesaw State University; they need to learn when to cut off admission into our school,” Jessica Stafford, a senior majoring in communications, said. “We are a desired university, so we have the opportunity to turn people away.“
The acceptance rate from 2012 to 2013 was at 56.5 percent, but the projected acceptance rate for 2015 to 2016 is expected to reach 60.7 percent. In addition to this, the merger is another factor to take into account when analyzing the population.
Tammy DeMel, the Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Issues Management, said KSU has attempted to offer additional courses at the Marietta campus so former SPSU students will not have to be displaced. However, for students like Kyle Pritchett, a former SPSU student majoring in management, all of his upper level business classes are only offered in the Coles Building at the Kennesaw campus.
With a combination of high admission and the addition of former SPSU students, the issues at the Commons have escalated.
“It’s extremely crowded,” said Ansley Cone, a freshman with an undecided major. “We just tried to sit down for 15 minutes and then we finally came in here [a room upstairs] to find a spot. “
Other students reported that the lines have gotten longer and their dining experience has declined. Julia Gainey, a junior majoring in Biology, said this has even added stress to her experience. Gainey, and other students, reported that having to roam all around the Commons in search for a seat is aggravating.
“I will get up for 3 ½ seconds and someone would have already taken my seat,” said CJ Stafford, a freshman majoring in accounting.
The staff at the Commons is keeping up with the demands to accommodate the overwhelming student body. “They’re fantastic,” Sean Custer, the executive chef at the Commons, said. “There’s more work, there’s more that goes into it, but we’re very fortunate that we have the staff that we have.”
Mary Kate, a Common’s barista and bakery employee, agrees that the staff has been able to handle the population so far. However, she did note, “My coworkers, they’ll get, like, aggravated and irritated [when it is busy], but you just have to work around that.”
Joshua Wendling, Marketing Manager for the Culinary and Hospitality Services, claims that there are “plans to build an additional dining hall in the coming years.”
For now, they have added a few elements to help with seating.
“New terrace seating and awnings have been ordered [and] will be added in the next month,” he said. “The nearly 100 additional seats will be covered overhead and can be used even in inclement weather.”
In the meantime, he encourages students use community seating and see it as an opportunity to make new friends.
“If there is ever an issue concerning out-of-stock items, please do not hesitate to speak with the Management and they will be more than happy to address any issues in a timely fashion.”
