The Gatepost Editorial: Commuter students deserve better

By The Gatepost Editorial Board

Commuter students have always been an important and active part of Framingham State’s community. 

Student enrollment data posted to framingham.edu shows 48% of the student population commuted to campus in the fall of 2023 - the last semester for which this data was publicly posted.

Unlike resident students, commuter students do not have designated spaces on campus to hang out with friends, attend Zoom classes, or eat a balanced meal at a low cost.

There are a few shared spaces available to commuter students. 

The Whittemore Library is a great resource and a fantastic space on campus for students to relax or study. However, first and foremost, it is a space that promotes academic achievement rather than a location to gather and socialize with friends. 

Other public areas, such as the study spaces in Hemenway Labs, the tables on the second and third floors of the McCarthy Center, and Ram’s Den Grille, lack space and amenities for commuter students and serve more aptly as places to study or spend one-on-one time with a friend. These spaces are located in highly trafficked areas, unlike the secluded lounges and study spaces offered to residents.

Larned Beach, Miles Bibb Lawn, and the green space in front of May Hall are not accessible year-round, and club rooms are locked and reserved for students who belong to specific organizations. 

The commuter lounge, located on the third floor of the McCarthy Center, is a space that is specifically designed for commuter students, but it is not adequate to serve the large commuter population. 

The lounge features a cluster of tables, a row of desktop computers, and a printer that is renowned for being broken most of the time. The lounge - really a room - is quite uninviting and is yet another space that feels geared toward academic tasks rather than social opportunities. 

Visually, it is unappealing and unwelcoming. It is small and ill-equipped for the 48% of the population who commute. 

Amenities such as a fridge, games, and even a TV monitor students could connect their phones and laptops to would make the space more akin to the lounges resident students have access to in the residence halls. 

Commuter students deserve a space to gather that is more significant and appealing than this.

All of the spaces referenced in this editorial can be accessed and used by resident students, but commuters do not have any space that is strictly for themselves in the way resident students do.

In the past, there has been more dedicated space for commuter students. For example, before the area now known as Magellan's was constructed, the space was a large Commuter Caf where commuters could socialize throughout the day and after hours. 

Prior to 2006, almost the entire fourth floor of the McCarthy Center was dedicated to student organizations, with other spaces allocated for student club use throughout the building. Now, while there is still dedicated space for The Gatepost, Student Government Association, WDJM 91.3, and the Framingham State Activities Board, there are only three open, dedicated club rooms that can be used by any student organization on campus. All of them are outfitted with limited furniture and materials and are tucked away from where the average commuter might frequent. 

Club Room I is constantly in use, which is a great indicator that students want to be involved during the day and after hours, but it should show the administration that students need more space due to such high demand. Club Room I has a projector and USB hookup for students to use, as well as limited lounge seating.

In comparison, Club Room II does not feature the same amenities available in Club Room I, and is frequented less often by students due to its conference-room-style setup and storage space.

Events targeting commuters are also scarce. Resident Assistants in the residence halls are required to host a set number of events for residents throughout the semester. There is no program like this that specifically produces events designed primarily for commuters.

In addition to inadequate events and a limited amount of dedicated space, commuters struggle with access to dining options. 

The cheapest meal plan option for commuter students is $270 for 25 meal swipes per semester. Commuter students deserve to have a nutritious meal during the school day and this plan only accounts for 25 meals over a 16-week semester. 

The Gatepost Editorial Board believes there should be a more streamlined program for resident students’ unused guest swipes to be used by commuter students who are on campus every day and cannot purchase a meal plan. 

Rams on the Run or the green-box meals provided by the Dining Commons are both resources that should be made more widely accessible to commuter students who cannot afford a full meal plan.

While resources that promote student success and wellness are bountiful at Framingham State, this issue comes down to the fact that commuter students do not have much keeping them on campus and engaged in anything other than their academic goals. 

College is supposed to be a place where you can meet people, take part in on-campus events, and gather with friends after a long day in class. 

The Gatepost Editorial Board is urging the University not to overlook commuters' place on this campus. They deserve more attention and time, as well as dedicated, welcoming spaces.

Regardless of whether Framingham State’s students live on or off campus, everyone deserves to be able to feel at home here.