From more equipment at Taylor Gym to longer dining hours and additional food options, Lehigh students have a list of changes they would like to see across campus.
The list includes requests ranging from small, location-specific asks to broader concerns affecting students’ daily experiences on campus.
At Tuesday night’s Student Senate meeting, the Student Outreach Committee presented the results of a student outreach survey initiative, highlighting concerns and suggestions from the Lehigh community pertaining to dining, campus facilities, transportation and student resources. The survey reached approximately 545 undergraduate and graduate students at Lehigh.
While the survey was conducted last spring, its findings remain relevant because the concerns raised by students have largely gone unresolved.
According to Edward Grinnan, ‘29, chair of the Outreach Committee, the survey asked students one open-ended question: “If you could change one thing at Lehigh, what would it be?”
According to Grinnan, free laundry was the most popular concern that students expressed. Residence hall facilities and dining services were also among the most common subjects.
Grinnan said students raised a wider variety of issues than he anticipated, with some contacting him after the survey to share additional details.
“The biggest shock was how willing people were to talk to a complete stranger,” Grinnan said. “People were willing to text me afterwards and be like, ‘Hey, I thought about this.’”
The survey reached students from every undergraduate class, as well as graduate students. Along with free laundry, students called for more seating in Rathbone and Broadhead dining halls, as well as more consistent access to fresh fruit. Other requests also included additional printers and more equipment in recreational centers.
Other dining-related suggestions included lowering the music in dining areas and extending breakfast hours. Respondents proposed expanded inventory and addressing incorrect charges in the University Center’s “Clutch and Go” area.
Fairchild-Martindale Library suggestions included vending machines, portable charger stations, and more opportunities for clubs to advertise events. At Taylor Gym, students specifically requested a second chest fly machine, a punching bag and additional lifting racks.
With students proposing changes across several areas of campus, the Student Senate must now decide where to focus its efforts.
Elias Lowrey, ‘29, chair of the Academic Affairs committee, said the survey results will help guide that decision.
“I think it’s just about popularity – what students care about the most, what issues we think we have the power to change,” Lowrey said. “I think it’s great we’re doing that outreach, and the Senate is really excited to act on that data.”
According to Lowrey, the findings were largely consistent with concerns the Senate had previously heard from students. Although the concerns were familiar, the survey provided the Senate with broader information about which issues mattered most to students.
Additionally, these results show the Student Senate which concerns were most common among students and which projects may be possible to address.
According to Student Senate Parliamentarian Heidi Bauer, choosing which concerns to prioritize is only part of the challenge. Even after priorities are established, some issues could be out of the Senate’s hands.
“There are certain things that are in our wherewithal and certain things that require admin, such as free laundry,” Bauer said.
Free laundry has already become a prominent issue within the Student Senate. According to Bauer, one first-year senator campaigned entirely on the proposal.
Like Lowrey, Bauer said many of the complaints were recurring, which reinforced the need for continued work. She added that the survey reiterated the needs of the student body, particularly on issues that senators and administration have already discussed this year.
“I will say I’m feeling extra hopeful this year because we have had so many conversations with admin related to laundry in reference to facilities and services,” Bauer said.
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