As a new semester begins, there have been some changes around campus. One is a new common hour which takes place each day. This has become a topic of interest for students and faculty, but some are more outspoken than others about the effects of this concept.
While the common hour has proven to be a terrific way to allow more time for interaction outside of classes, it has also presented challenges, most noticeably in the Bruder dining hall.
With many students heading to the dining hall during the common hour, it can quickly become congested and overwhelming.
Several students who wished to remain anonymous all agreed that the overcrowding during the common hour creates an inconvenient situation.
One student noted, “On days when I only have a small window of time to have lunch, walking into a crowded dining hall can be very frustrating, leading me to resort to Wawa or somewhere else off campus.”
Another confessed that “Between the lines and the lack of seating, getting food in the dining hall becomes less and less appealing.”
“I find myself walking in and out of the dining hall immediately as soon as I see how many people are in there at once,” stated a third student. “It can be overwhelming.”
Bearing this influx in mind, it will certainly take some planning on the part of students to find the ideal time to visit the dining hall during lunchtime.
Recognizing this issue, the new dean of students Sarah Williamson recently announced that there has been additional seating set up in the Bruder dining hall. She indicated that extra seating will hopefully accommodate the increased number of students heading to the dining hall during the common hour.
Faculty members have a more positive response than students.
"A common hour communicates 'community.' It sends a message that the university is for everyone, and we value the intentional time to meet, connect, and engage together in capacities beyond the walls of the classroom,” said professor of educational psychology Dr. Marisa Rauscher.
Professor of social work Rina Keller also pointed out the new opportunities that the common hour creates to connect with students and fellow faculty members.
“I think the common hour has been beneficial for faculty, as it provides dedicated time to schedule meetings and casual get-togethers and provides us time to have lunch together and with our students. The timeslots are definitely filling up but having the shared block has made scheduling easier and has allowed our community to gather in ways we haven’t been doing in a long time and the campus feels electric!” said Professor Keller.
Campus opinion about the common hour seems split at the current time. Some consider it a lunchtime inconvenience while others think it can become an advantage for students and faculty alike.
