Recently, students have been noticing the decline in food quality at Kennesaw State University’s Commons.
Nearly three years ago, Fall, 2022 seems as if it was another lifetime. One could be forgiven for disassociating that period with the present day, particularly given the busy existence of a college student’s life.
However, it wasn’t really that long ago. Despite this, many key, seismic changes have been observed across campus, creating a completely different KSU from the one we see today. One such change can be found in the KSU Commons.
Fall of 2022 saw the Commons boast a pretty impressive roster of quality food and ingredients. Students could enjoy weekly sushi, bagel bars, a thriving ‘global’ section and daily fruit. On one hand, the Campus Green, which is the colloquial name of the sandwich and salad bar, offered multiple meat options, fresh grains and a fully stocked fruit bar, consisting of pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew. On the other hand, the dessert section boasted two display sections bursting with delectable treats, such as macarons and tiramisu. Finally, on the side of drinks, the Commons offered iced coffee, refilled hourly, and a fresh pot that students were allowed to take with them outside of the Commons, via a disposable container. All-in-all, the Commons was a place to obtain high quality food at a reasonable cost and incredible convenience.
Spring of 2025 tells a different story. Firstly, the bagel bar, once consisting of fresh, premium butter, grape jam, apple spread and cream cheese has been replaced with a small selection of mini, pre-packaged butter and cream cheese. Second, the Campus Green has been absolutely gutted. The selection of melons previously offered round the clock are now only offered until the selection runs out, roughly around 11am. Similarly, other fruit is only offered until it runs out, with the exception of green apples and oranges, on occasion. Spinach wraps are often unavailable, and roast beef has not so subtly been removed from the protein options; not so subtly, because the container where it used to be situated still remains, empty. Third, the once bustling dessert sections have been cut in half, with only one of the displays containing food, more often than not.
It is worth mentioning that these are only some of the changes. Many others are far more inconspicuous. Drink dispensers take much longer to get filled. Bread is no longer thrown out when it has gone stale. The more expensive Lance Saltine Crackers have been replaced with cheaper Zesta brand. Then of course there is the less quantifiable decline in taste.
Of course, this all begs the question: why does this matter? The answer is extrapolation. The Commons is only one example of a trend that many students have noticed across the last couple years: students are getting less bang for their buck. As KSU pushes ahead to become the single largest school in all of Georgia with record enrollment, KSU seems to be tightening its belt. Parking permits, originally introduced as a temporary measure meant to phase out mandatory parking fees have far exceeded their original intended costs. Not to mention students are still paying parking fees. Products in vending machines have gotten more expensive; the Core Power Chocolate Protein Shake has gone from $2.50 in 2023 to $3.75 in 2025.
All of this is indicative of an alarming development in KSU. Increasingly, the school is embracing a profit-centered approach to education, as it raises costs and cuts quality. Every student must ask themselves: where does it stop? Apparently, the answer seems to be not soon. With declining enrollment across the whole of the US and soaring university costs, KSU must show its students that it is willing to invest in its student services. Further investments in the Commons are necessary if KSU wishes to keep up its status as the booming, rising star university of Georgia.
