Petition to change policy at The Commons gains support

A student has created a petition calling for a change in the regulation of student meal swipes at Kennesaw State University.

Ryan Matzkow, a sophomore finance major, has garnered more than 2,500 signatures on his petition to be presented to Culinary and Hospitality Services.

The petition comes in the wake of a recent policy change limiting the admission of guests into The Commons and Stingers.

“I believe that, as a student paying hard-earned money for my swipes, I should get to choose how I want to allocate the use of my swipes,” Matzkow said in the petition. He said he hopes to gain at least 3,000 signatures before presenting the petition to the university.

Effective this semester, students are allocated five guest swipes per meal plan. Previously, students were allowed to use their meal plans to admit others into The Commons as frequently as desired, a practice popular among students with larger meal plans who wished to use all of their swipes by the end of the semester. Meal swipes not used by the end of the semester are not refunded or transferred to the upcoming semester.

“I really didn’t think it was fair, so I’m trying to do something to change it or at least show [KSU] that people are noticing and they’re not happy with it,” Matzkow said.

Supporters of the petition complain that the new policy will lead to wasted swipes and prevent students from providing meals to those in need.

“If you force someone to buy something, you shouldn’t limit their use of it,” said one of the petition’s online commenters.

Administration at KSU’s Culinary and Hospitality Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.

The petition can be found online at www.change.org.

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