With the beginning of the new school year, many students are eager to be back in the classroom. One selling point that SNHU has over other universities is how most classes are within close proximity of each other.
Many college students map out their schedules to maximize the amount of sleep that they get in a given night; this usually means waking up five minutes before a class starts and sprinting over to Robert Frost. However, the Communication department has moved primarily to the School of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics (SETA) Annex, putting a wrench into students’ plans.
It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk from the Green Space to the Annex. Given that there is a 15-minute block between classes, it is physically impossible to walk to the Annex for class. In addition, there are only three blue lights on Victory Lane. If something were to happen between these lights, students wouldn’t be able to access them.
Despite these challenges, students without access to a vehicle have been forced to walk. Several students have reported being verbally harassed by people in passing cars during this strenuous trip.
In an attempt to shorten the commute to the Annex, SNHU has adopted a shuttle service. The shuttle leaves periodically from between the SETA building and the Hospitality Center on the main campus. While this can be beneficial, the shuttle has created confusion and concerns for students who just want to get to their classes on time. The SNHU community has received many emails stating changes to the times in which the shuttle departs and returns.
These complications pose a greater question: what will it take for SNHU to ensure that their students are getting the most out of their education?
Professors urge their students to get to class in a timely manner; however, students no longer have control over when they will get to class. This problem falls on the university, which has failed to provide the SNHU community with a viable solution.
The SNHU community should prioritize student attendance to ensure that students get to class on time, whether that be by solidifying a schedule for the shuttle to the Annex or moving classes out of the Annex and onto the main campus. SNHU needs to find a solution, and find it fast, or they will only be failing the student body who commits so much to them.
