2008 Woodie Awards
THe Commuter Voice Heard
Laura Felton
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: Features
The Commuter Student Association, an organization designed to top the gap between commuters and residents, is open to all MC students. However, many students, including commuters, have not heard about CSA. There are about five commuter councils per semester, where lunch is provided for the attendees. The council meetings are never held on the same days or at the same times in order to open it up to all commuters and to accommodate the schedules of all students.
Many MC commuters do not feel like they are involved in activities that take place on campus. Although all student activities are open to residents and commuters, many commuters do not realize so due to a "lack of communication between the school and commuters," says Dinorah Rodriguez, MC Junior and VP of Commuter Affairs. Most of the fliers that hang around campus advertising upcoming events, lack to specify that it is for both groups of students, and this results in a discrepancy of commuter attendees.
Through the Commuter Council, commuters can become more involved on campus life. Commuters are able to freely voice changes they'd like to see around campus and for themselves. The CSA also plans events for commuters, including two big barbeques, the first in the beginning of fall semester to introduce students to the school and for commuters to get to know each other, and the second is usually near the end of the spring semester, as a "kick off" to the summer and a goodbye to the semester. The CSA also helps sponsor events such as the Relaxation Stations in Thomas Hall during exams week.
Rodriguez, who lives on campus now, however admitting to being a commuter during her freshman year, says the biggest difference between living on campus as opposed to off is that "being a commuter sort of feels like being in high school. Living on campus allowed me to get the 'real' college experience. "
Rodriguez and the Commuter Council aims to decrease the big barrier between commuters and MC residents. "Just because at the end of the day, one person has a bed here and goes to sleep here and another person goes home, does not have to mean that there has to be such a separation. We are all MC students," says Rodriguez.
Rodriguez hopes to plan at least three events throughout the semester that the commuter's council members can participate in.
The CSA aims to give commuter students at MC a voice and helps them find a place of their own on campus.
The next meeting of the CSA will be on Monday, October 6. CSA office is located in the Student Government Lounge.
Many MC commuters do not feel like they are involved in activities that take place on campus. Although all student activities are open to residents and commuters, many commuters do not realize so due to a "lack of communication between the school and commuters," says Dinorah Rodriguez, MC Junior and VP of Commuter Affairs. Most of the fliers that hang around campus advertising upcoming events, lack to specify that it is for both groups of students, and this results in a discrepancy of commuter attendees.
Through the Commuter Council, commuters can become more involved on campus life. Commuters are able to freely voice changes they'd like to see around campus and for themselves. The CSA also plans events for commuters, including two big barbeques, the first in the beginning of fall semester to introduce students to the school and for commuters to get to know each other, and the second is usually near the end of the spring semester, as a "kick off" to the summer and a goodbye to the semester. The CSA also helps sponsor events such as the Relaxation Stations in Thomas Hall during exams week.
Rodriguez, who lives on campus now, however admitting to being a commuter during her freshman year, says the biggest difference between living on campus as opposed to off is that "being a commuter sort of feels like being in high school. Living on campus allowed me to get the 'real' college experience. "
Rodriguez and the Commuter Council aims to decrease the big barrier between commuters and MC residents. "Just because at the end of the day, one person has a bed here and goes to sleep here and another person goes home, does not have to mean that there has to be such a separation. We are all MC students," says Rodriguez.
Rodriguez hopes to plan at least three events throughout the semester that the commuter's council members can participate in.
The CSA aims to give commuter students at MC a voice and helps them find a place of their own on campus.
The next meeting of the CSA will be on Monday, October 6. CSA office is located in the Student Government Lounge.