Keep The Commons Open
The Issue
Starting this fall semester, the commons will be closed for dinner. We are asking Christopher Newport University to reconsider the decision to close Commons for dinner and to keep it open as a primary dining option for students.
Closing Commons for dinner will have a significant impact on student-athletes. For many teams, eating dinner together is an important part of team bonding, building relationships, and maintaining a strong team culture. With Commons no longer available during dinner hours, student-athletes will lose a convenient place to gather and eat together. This makes it much more difficult for entire teams to have meals together. These shared meals are more than just eating. They provide valuable opportunities for teammates to connect outside of practices, games, and meetings.
The closure will also create longer lines and overcrowding at Regattas, particularly during the busy dinner period. This will negatively affect all students, especially those with demanding schedules. Student-athletes often have practices, lifts, team meetings, games, and other responsibilities that require strict scheduling. Waiting in excessively long dining lines could force students to rush their meals, skip meals, arrive late to practices or meetings, or sacrifice valuable study and personal time.
Students should not have to choose between getting a timely meal and making it to their academic or athletic commitments. Keeping Commons open for dinner would help distribute the student population more evenly across dining facilities, reduce wait times, and allow students to eat together.
We understand that operating a dining facility requires resources and planning, but the impact on the student experience should be carefully considered. Keeping Commons open for dinner would benefit the entire CNU community by improving dining accessibility, reducing overcrowding, and preserving an important opportunity for student connection and team bonding.
We encourage CNU administration to reconsider the decision and keep Commons open during dinner hours.
1,344
The Issue
Starting this fall semester, the commons will be closed for dinner. We are asking Christopher Newport University to reconsider the decision to close Commons for dinner and to keep it open as a primary dining option for students.
Closing Commons for dinner will have a significant impact on student-athletes. For many teams, eating dinner together is an important part of team bonding, building relationships, and maintaining a strong team culture. With Commons no longer available during dinner hours, student-athletes will lose a convenient place to gather and eat together. This makes it much more difficult for entire teams to have meals together. These shared meals are more than just eating. They provide valuable opportunities for teammates to connect outside of practices, games, and meetings.
The closure will also create longer lines and overcrowding at Regattas, particularly during the busy dinner period. This will negatively affect all students, especially those with demanding schedules. Student-athletes often have practices, lifts, team meetings, games, and other responsibilities that require strict scheduling. Waiting in excessively long dining lines could force students to rush their meals, skip meals, arrive late to practices or meetings, or sacrifice valuable study and personal time.
Students should not have to choose between getting a timely meal and making it to their academic or athletic commitments. Keeping Commons open for dinner would help distribute the student population more evenly across dining facilities, reduce wait times, and allow students to eat together.
We understand that operating a dining facility requires resources and planning, but the impact on the student experience should be carefully considered. Keeping Commons open for dinner would benefit the entire CNU community by improving dining accessibility, reducing overcrowding, and preserving an important opportunity for student connection and team bonding.
We encourage CNU administration to reconsider the decision and keep Commons open during dinner hours.
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Petition created on August 24, 2026