The Missing Piece of Campus Life for Commuters
Dean College has an opportunity to make campus more inclusive by recognizing the need of commuter students. Why is Dean not taking the initiative? For many students' college is not just where they take classes, it is where they live, study, eat, relax, and build friendships. But for commuter students, college looks very different. Without a dedicated commuter space at Dean College, students who travel to campus every day may find themselves without a place that truly feels their own.
Dean College can better the supports for commuter students by immediately creating a commuter lounge that would give Dean’s commuter student population a comfortable place to study, eat, recharge and connect with other commuters between classes.
As noted by Edsource, 85% of college students in the United States commute, therefore that is why this is such a pressing issue. Most importantly though it would send a message to commuter students that they are appreciated and part of the community at Dean.
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One of the biggest problems for commuter students is that students have nowhere to heat up food from home. Many commuter students bring meals from home because buying food/ meal plans on campus is just not practical for commuters. When students are on campus for several hours between classes, they need somewhere to eat the meals they bring with them. The dining hall is not always practical for commuters as many are purposefully commuting to save money. Having access to a place to heat up meals is something Dean needs to fix as soon as possible.
Another important reason Dean needs a commuter lounge is because commuter students need a place to recharge through the day. Commuting takes energy and time, and many commuter students spend a full day going from class-to-class without a space to sit down and relax for a moment. Residential students can return to their dorm rooms when they need a quite space to rest, study or take a break.
As noted in a past article on The Dean Daily, the commuter lounge was taken away and made into the Zen Den, which is now closed. Commuter students do not have the same choice on campus. A commuter lounge would give students a place to feel less exhausted and more connected to campus. College can be very overwhelming, and every student deserves a place where they can take a breath and recharge during a long day.
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