Students expressed their opinions about budget cuts, buses, dormitory laundry services and more Tuesday while receiving free blue books, Scantrons, pencils and pens at Straight Talk with Student Government at The 459 Commons and The 5 dining halls.
 
SG began the night at The 459 Commons with questions about recycling bins and buses.
 
Bie Aweh, political science and women’s and gender studies senior, asked if the holiday bus shuttle was going to both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans airports.
 
Lance Bordelon, SG graphic designer, scribbled contact information for Laura Boggs, SG director of transportation, on a blue book before Aweh scurried off.
 
One student asked if it was possible to shorten one dining hall’s hours in the morning to extend the hours at night, and another student requested a recycling bin be placed in Free Speech Plaza, said Khristen Jones, SG assistant director of programming.
 
SG moved to The 5 at 7 p.m., where it was flooded with students’ questions about laundry, budget cuts and meal variety.
 
Danielle Frazier, international studies freshman, said she was concerned about languages and international studies being cut.
 
SG President J Hudson responded that although 14 teachers have been let go, that doesn’t mean those departments will be cut.
 
SG Vice President Dani Borel said students told her they miss the homestyle cooking from the Highland Dining Hall.
 
“Students at The 5 brought up the variety of meal choices between the 459 and The 5,” said Thomas Rogers, SG assistant
director of academics.
 
Borel said students should e-mail David Heidke, director of LSU Dining, with specific menu suggestions.
 
Sagar Kanakiya, finance senior, complained with another student about the lack of washers and dryers in Broussard Hall and the Pentagon.
 
Borel said students are hassled by laundry at the Pentagon because there are only five washers and dryers.
 
“Several people came up with budget cut concerns about specific majors, the University as a whole and the time frame that this is going to take place,” Jones said.
 
Isaiah Owens, a vocal music education major concerned with budget cuts, serenaded SG with an a cappella tune as he voiced concerns about the College of Music and Dramatic Arts.
 
SG wrote down all of the questions and concerns presented and will work to alleviate them.
 
The next Straight Talk with SG will be Oct. 12 at Middleton Library from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
 
 
 
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]