Written By Marquez Slaughter

A university cost-saving measure may be costing more than it should. Many VSU facilities have changed their operating hours, forcing students to adjust their busy schedules to accommodate.

Some students have jobs, late classes or just busy schedules, and now these students may not even be able to use the facilities they pay for.

Exercising at the Student Recreation Center is also now almost impossible. This semester, the Rec. Center will close at 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday instead of 11:30 p.m. On Fridays, it will close at 7 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. Further, Campus Rec is now only open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

College students stress more than most people in the world, and many exercise to relieve this stress. If a student cannot get to Campus Rec. due to scheduling conflicts, how is this stress going to be relieved?

Hopper Dining also changed its hours from opening at noon Monday-Thursday to now opening at 5 p.m., forcing more students into the already crowded Palms Dining Hall.

Another change that is actually a safety concern has students waiting in the dark for up to 30 minutes at a time. The night shuttle was once a safe and easy way to get back to main campus from the parking lots. Now it only runs twice per hour every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., instead of previously running continuously throughout the night.

As a junior at VSU, I have enjoyed my years dedicated to this school, but the main reasons why I have stayed focused and determined in the classrooms are that Campus Rec. and Hopper Dining have kept me healthy and fed.

A university that supposedly cares about the welfare of its students is sacrificing student safety and health all to save a few bucks.