Incoming Class Causes Overcrowding Concerns

Interim President Howard Cohen had a master plan: During his term as President he was ambitious enough to tackle a few of the problems that were plaguing Buffalo State College; the first being enrollment issues. Enrollment growth was one of the main priorities during his short term at the college. The beginning of the Fall 2014 semester alone brought in 3000 first year and transfer students.  That number increased the overall average of undergraduate students to 10,000.  With the entry of new President Dr. Katherine Conway – Turner, it seems as though she has taken this project under her wings instead of leaving it altogether.

The admittance of freshman alone has begun to be an eye sore for students on campus. “The lines in retail have become unbearable, I don’t even want to eat anymore by the time its my turn.”, says Katherine Middleton a senior at the college. This has left many students wondering what is going on. The answer is plain and simple: profit. Even though schools are here to educate, money is needed in order to do so. Salaries have to be paid and buildings have to be taken care of.

The biggest issue with the number of students arriving is the overcrowding in the residence halls.  Every freshmen hall on campus is now a triple room, which means the average dorm room, has three people in it as opposed to the standard two. “This hall is filled with triples but it’s not as hectic as you would think,” says Bruna Lima, a Residential Assistant in Neumann Hall on campus. “The only real problem we have here are how fast the bathrooms get dirty and the lack of toilet paper.” Bruna is a 3^rd year student from Brazil; this is her 2^nd year as a Residential Assistant.

                

  Michael Bryan, a freshman who lives in Porter Hall says, “I don’t really mind having a triple, it’s more crowded but I meet more people because of it.” Dean J. Reinhart, the Associate Director of Admissions jokes that even if students are not getting along, they sure have an experience to bond over.

According to Reinhart, there has not been much worry over the wave of students that entered the school this year. Surprisingly, the student teacher ratio has not changed drastically neither has the ease of registration for students.

Buffalo State College has plans to expand its campus in the next 5 years. According to Reinhart “The President will set the direction of the campus.”