Reporter
Over the years, The Runner has covered many different issues on campus. Students would often read the paper in order to get a better insight on just what was happening at California State University, Bakersfield. After some extensive research of past issues of The Runner, it’s quite easy to see that many students faced some of the same issues that many of us face to this day. One particular area of interest to students is how dorm life was on campus. Whether you were a resident of the halls or not, many often had some type of curiosity regarding just how it was to leave home and live with people you may not have previously known.
Some of the issues that The Runner covered through the years are dorm brawls, dorm extracurricular activities, and just overall information about how it was like to live in the dorms. Ask any student to this day and their list of concerns about moving into a dorm may seem endless. From dorm safety, life, extracurricular activities, roommates, how a dorm may look, and the food choices, it’s easy to see just how many college freshmen may be nervous about this experience. Others however are not afraid and are ready to make the best of their next four years in College.
Safety has always been a very big concern as far as dorm life goes throughout the years here at CSUB. The Runner has covered many instances that concern dorm safety and the police have done an excellent job at handling problems. One example of a story that The Runner covered in a 1989 issue was titled “Dorm brawl probed” by staff writer Jason Oliver.
Witnesses of the brawl said that it happened in the dorm that went by the name of Dobry. When a witness was asked just what may have starter the fight, it was believed that because there was a party going on in one dorm. A member of the party said somebody touched the belongings of someone who lived in the room adjacent to where the party was happening and that’s when the fighting started. The Runner reported that student Eliodoro Padilla said, “Some of the participants received minor injuries during the altercation. Dobry Hall also was damaged with some chairs and a window being broken as well as the fire extinguisher casing.”
Another issue The Runner covered in 1978 was one regarding dorm food titled “Dorm Life Fine-Except For Food” by staff writer Vanh Vidhamali. Comments made by students from the ’78 issue are similar to the ones made today in many ways. “The food is a no no! I have a feeling that they’re feeding a bunch of pigs. Since I have no car, I have to stay in the dorm.” said CSUB graduate at the time, Mary Ann Griles.
Another student named Dave Johnson said “I wish they’d put a little bit of love and care in preparing the food to be served in the commons.”
Anyone who has ever lived in the dorms from then to now especially knows that the food hasn’t always been the best that it could be. Besides the occasionally good macaroni and cheese or perhaps cake that is actually good, it’s often hard to find the best food choices while living in the dorms. Although recently before they shut down, the grill that operated for the dorms made efforts to create healthier food options, they shut down with the old dorms when the new dorms opened up.
Just like The Runner has today, years ago the paper had an opportunity for readers of the paper to submit a letter to the editor. One article from a May 3, 2000 issue written by Shyanne Ledford got a lot of views and comments. A following May 17, 2000 issue of The Runner contained a letter to the editor about a specific article titled “Sex in the air and elsewhere in CSUB’s dorms”. The letter to the editor by Paul Badeau wanted to make a comment that the article published in a past issue was not accurate at all and even went out to conduct some research for himself.
“I therefore decided to respond to her article and interviewed some dorm residents to verify…..much of what I heard had nothing to do with what the author depicted.” said Badeau. To this day, readers of The Runner still submit their letters to the editor in order to express their opinions.
The Runner has had many chances in the past to cover life in the dorms at CSUB. Despite some past living experiences in the dorms, dorm life is indeed getting better for students who call this a home away from home. The Runner continues to cover issues that are most important for students living on campus and strives to inform students not only about campus life, but dorm life as well.