Can Wooster’s facilities accommodate their students?
An examination of the College’s facilities and resources’ capacities
Adriana Hoak
Staff Writer
Currently, The College of Wooster is working with facilities that are filled to capacity.
“We are maxed out on mailboxes, if just one broke, there would be a problem. The PEC was also built for a much smaller campus, and we’re currently trying to fix that with the Scot Center,” Kurt Holmes, Dean of Students said.
Ninety-nine percent of dorm rooms are also now occupied. If need be, there are 30 to 40 extra spots for students, as certain singles and doubles can be converted into doubles and triples.
Other houses on Spink Street that have not been used for two years are now being utilized as well.
Bissman Hall was converted into a first-year dorm, as the Greek groups only kept it 75 percent full. Greek life has been given housing to maximize living space on campus.
“The basements of Wagner and Bissman are now open as flex spaces for freshmen,” Krista Kronstein, Director of Residence Life said.
The resident assistant staff was rumored to increase due to the recent changes in housing, though it has not been added to within the past two years. Where staff members are located has been changed to accommodate underclassmen.
“Armington and Stevenson don’t have as many RA’s as Bissman and Douglass, because upperclassmen don’t have as many issues on the floor to deal with,” Kronstein said.
Because the College is a mostly residential campus, parking has been a problem, especially with recent football games and tailgating. An off-campus house on University Street was purchased to accommodate more students with cars along with big events.
“The lot on University Street has helped with football games, but it is too early to see the impact until it’s finished. However, any off-street parking we can provide is a plus,” Steve Glick, Director of Security and Protective Services said.
In the first occassion in the College’s history, Wooster has seen parking permits completely sell out. If a student wants a spot, he or she will be put on a waiting list until a spot opens up.
The campus dining facilities are also very busy, serving close to 16 thousand meals a week.
“Does the Lowry dining hall get crowded at peak times? Sure. We still accommodate students the same as we have done in years past,” Chuck Wagers, Director of Campus Dining Services, said.
Kittredge was re-opened last year to help with the Lowry lunch rush. It serves well over 200 students each day. The food staff was increased last year to facilitate Kittredge and Pop’s Sub Stop.
“We need to balance the right formula to accommodate all the students in every aspect of their Wooster experience. “We want to let students know we are not doing a disservice because of the size of the college,” Dean Holmes said.
We don’t want to diminish the experience that has been used since the college’s founding,” Bob Rodda, Director of Lowry Center and Student Services said.
Other Wooster Facts:
— The headcount of students at the college is 1,863.
— The class of 2014 was the largest class of
incoming freshmen, with 621 students.
— Between 75 and 100 students are abroad each year. 2011 has over 100 study abroad students, which is higher than any year thus far.
— There is more than enough space to accommodate a college of 2000 students.
— 80 more students in the class of 2015 chose Wooster than projected.