Issue:  Move-in weekend comes and goes at SDSU and the university’s new facilities open to the public. 

Another move-in weekend has come and gone and for the most part, it’s another win for SDSU. The general attitudes of the Meet State staff and personnel helping to move more than 2,200 freshmen and additional sophomores onto campus Aug. 24 and 25 were those of friendly helpers and their effort was much appreciated.

It doesn’t hurt that everyone is excited to show off some shiny new buildings. This past weekend was the first time that The Union expansion and four new residence halls were open to the public. All of it is very nice and maybe nicer than we could have expected. The residence halls, in particular, are a far cry from what generations prior had in Pierson, Brown or Young, for example. And with 90-plus degree heat, we’re seeing the difference in the new buildings and old, as half of the students on campus sweat out summer’s last blast – or so we hope. 

Overall, we’re impressed by the layout of the new addition to The Union. With it feeling so new, it can be easy to forget that you’re in the same building that students have gotten to know in recent years. The Student Engagement Center, which will house Greek Life, Students’ Association and University Program Council, is far more inviting than anything those groups had before and that should only facilitate growth among those students. 

It appears that some common requests from students have been answered. For years, SDSU’s students have requested extended dining hours. For the new locations in The Union, that appears to be the case. Chick-fil-A will be open until 11:30 p.m. during the week and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Extreme Pita is open during the week 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends. Panda Express – which has probably been more popular than planners could have ever imagined will be open until 8 p.m., every night of the week. And after considering closing Java City at 9 p.m. nightly, it will now be open until 11 p.m. on weeknights, a move that will be heralded by this newspaper’s staffers. 

A small and lone complaint would lie with the hours of the University Bookstore, which had hours that seemed too short (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) over the weekend, especially when ThumpStart – the service geared toward new students to help them get acquainted – was urging students to buy their books from the bookstore. 

All in all, it’s been a good way to kick things off, save for that oppressive heat. But given how long winter held on in 2013, we shouldn’t have much to complain about and that cold – and another semester’s end – will be here soon. 

 Stance: Nice job, Jackrabbits.