University Weathering a Wave of New Students

Students dealt with long lines in the LSU the first week of the semester

By Bulletin Staff

Whether familiar with this fine campus, or one of our many new freshmen or transfer students this semester, there’s one thing that everyone is noticing the first two weeks of classes:

There are a lot of bodies on campus, the most in the history of this university.

How many? Official numbers won’t be announced for a couple of weeks, after the drop deadline and the university census, but even as you read this, staff members of the Bulletin are working tirelessly to get, at the very least, a ballpark figure. (Check out our first print issue, which will be distributed the morning of Thursday, Sept. 12, to see how we do).

We have heard all kinds of numbers. In an Aug. 16 email to campus faculty, staff and administrators, Dr. Mitch Avila, dean of the College of the Arts and Humanities, said that “Tsunami 3.0” the unofficial nickname for the deluge of new students in the fall semester, would swell the student population to 21,000 students, an increase of 20 percent from fall, 2018.

In fall, 2018, according to the CSU, enrollment was 15, 741.

On Aug. 21, in another campus-wide email, this one relating to Student Convocation Day Nicole Rodriguez, interim associate vice president of student success, said the school would be welcoming “approximately 3,500 new students” but whether that number included both freshman and incoming transfer students was not clear.

Most recently, on Aug. 28, the CSUDH Campus News Center reported that 6,251 new undergraduates (2,571 freshman; 3,637 transfers) were on campus this semester, a 25 percent increase from fall, 2018.

Again, those are not official numbers, which won’t be released until the census, but this much we do know:

Toro Nation has gotten a lot bigger.

But what do students and other members of the campus community think of the “tsunami?” Last week, the Bulletin staff took some time to fan across the campus and ask that question. To longer lines and larger classes to scarce parking, nearly everyone had an opinion or two.

Parking:

Raelena, Pedroza, who has worked with parking since 2017. She says this semester is by far the busiest, and there was a parking meeting before the semester began to discuss the “insane overflow. We have never had this much of an issue with parking, and this is the first semester where we are now patrolling parking lot 4.”

Giselle Adams, behavior science major. “Hell f***ing ’ve noticed. There’s too many damn people here, way more people than fall and nowhere to park. It literally takes an hour to get out of here.”

Adeline Torres, senior, biology. “Parking has been a hindrance. The students who live in the dorms who have cars have to park outside of the dorm parking lot, sometimes not even on campus.”

J.C Senior Computer Science. The parking lot was more congested compared to last year. Last year, at 8:30 a.m. [there was always parking] whereas this year the parking lot was full at that time.”

 LSU, Library, Computer Lab

Vincent Gutierrez graduate student.  He said he “has noticed a serious increase [in numbers] in the LSU. There are longer lines and nowhere to sit, and also in the learning center there is nowhere to sit and study.”

Lupe Gonzales, assistant manager, Panda Express:” I’ve been here four years, and I would say the last two years have been busier and busier. Our peak hours used to be 10 a.m. noon, but now it’s 10 a.m. 5 p.m. It’s been non-stop now that the Taco Bell is closed. We’ve noticed. We are understaffed.

Xavier Zavala, worker Panda Express.  “I’m from a store in Compton. I have never been to this school in my life. But they are desperate for labor. “

Benjamin Cruz, sophomore, business administration. A student worker in the library, he says he’s noticed a “huge” increase in people in the library, as well as students checking out textbooks.

Faculty member who did not want name used for this story: “ The elevators in the library were already impacted last semester with more activity on the fifth floor. But now that the third floor has all these student organizations, it’s ridiculous. And why are there never any paper towels in any of the restrooms?

Stephanie Astros, computer science. She works in the computer lab and reports that it’s been much busier the first two weeks of the semester.

“When I first started working here, I felt like people didn’t know much about the lab. It felt like a secret, like  it wasn’t well promoted. It gets busy during mid-terms, final exams, but I have seen more students this year at the center and it’s especially surprising because it’s the first week of school. So I’m wondering if it’s enrollment or just teachers telling students we exist.”

Class size

Adelina Torres, senior, biology. She says enrollment for classes and wait llists have increased and there has been a bigger difficulty in trying to enroll for classes.

Jonathan Serrano, senior, pre-physical therapy. He said he thinks construction has impacted the space for classes, and class size has “increased tremendously. Doesn’t seem like enough classes are being offered to accommodate the influx. And the Loker Student Union has been packed.”

Alexis Davis, freshman, softball team member. “Eighteen students were the average in my class size. So far I am happy with it.”

Chris, worker at Union Grind. “It’s harder to get classes. There’s many kids wait listed…some kids have no seats. To not even have a chair, it feels weird, feels messed up.”

More campus workers hired

Jackie, a custodian. She said her department was notified during the summer, so she wasn’t surprised about the increase. She said additional custodians have been hired and hiring continues.

G. Espinoza Police Officer. Said the department has hired three more police officers this semester.

Growth is good!

Symphony Morgan, senior, kinesiology. “I think it’s a good thing because it increases diversity on campus.”

Guy Witherspoon, 30–plus year employee at CSUDH. He said he is happy about all the new changes, including the SCC building being torn down and more enrollment,

 “It doesn’t bother me to see growth,” he said.