An audio version of this story.
Kennesaw State University is phasing out its requirement that students who don’t live on campus pay for a certain number of meals in the school’s dining hall each month.
This change comes on the heels of a financial audit by the University System of Georgia.
Despite the mandatory commuter meal plans, KSU’s dining services still had a $5.2 million deficit at the end of the last fiscal year.
“In the audit they actually say that it’s because of a model that strived to be a model for the nation, a top-rated dining facility, without concern for cost efficiency. And that right there says it all,” said Sierra Hubbard, editor-in-chief of the Sentinel, KSU’s student newspaper.
The USG identified seven areas of concern in the audit. KSU officials say they have started to address those issues.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that every decision we make at Kennesaw State is in our students’ best interest and that is especially true when our decision impact students’ ability to afford a college education,” said interim KSU President Houston Davis in a written statement.
The mandatory commuter meal plans will be completely gone by 2018.
“My theory and a lot of theories out there, that you know, they would have to get to a point where they can afford and they can manage that. You know, their budget can’t handle losing all that at one point,” said Hubbard.
Ciara Hodges serves as the Sentinel’s news editor and she feels the situation is being addressed in a proper fashion.
“I think [Davis] is going to take Kennesaw in the right direction, to get us back on track and to get everybody back on board again, which is what we need.”
KSU’s main campus dining hall has more than a dozen food stations.
At one time it boasted more than 300 menu items each day.
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