Written by: Anonymous

Spring Break on campus is usually a time when most students are not on campus.  However, a few, like me, are on campus working various jobs.

Most things on campus go unnoticed during Spring Break simply because there are no students around to see them.  I have a few concerns that I find ridiculous, which is what compelled me to write this letter.

First, the university’s food vendors do not accept meal plans over Spring Break.  This is no direct concern to me because I do not live on campus, but I noticed a few instances in which it was concerning.  While I was visiting Robertson Dining Hall, I noticed a few international students trying to use their Zip Card for lunch.  The attendant politely told the student that they do not accept meal plans over Spring Break.

The student awkwardly smiled, nodded and walked away.  This saddened me because it didn’t seem that the student was aware he would not be able to use his meal plan that day and made me question if he had other options for lunch.

I don’t know if this is a Zip Card issue, a Robertson Dining Hall issue or a university issue; regardless, it was quite concerning to me.  I sometimes feel that international students get the shaft here at the university and it doesn’t seem right. Many continue to live here on campus during our breaks, yet we do not seem to offer the same amenities that are available when native students are here.

Another concern I had is with the use of uniformed police officers. While I was in the Student Union I noticed the President of the university in a meeting with who I assumed were other university officials, and they were being guarded by a uniformed University of Akron police officer.

As students, we pay for the University of Akron Police Department and we were paying a police officer to stand around for hours in the Student Union.  What is more concerning is the fact that our university officials apparently feel as if they need security at meetings on campus.  If the officials of my university don’t feel safe without having an armed guard at their meetings in the Student Union, then why should I feel safe on campus?

Perhaps there are more to these situations than I observed, but at surface value they are both concerning.  As a public university, we are always on stage.  If I was able to notice these concerns while going about my day on campus, certainly someone else noticed them as well, and the conclusions you can draw from these observations are not necessarily good.