Cleveland State University

First off, apologies for the long post — just taking a stroll down nostalgia boulevard. ... While I only attended this University for a year in 1999 before Transferring to MTSU, my experience staying on campus at the converted Holiday Inn (now gone sadly) is one I'll remember and cherish for a lifetime. There was comradery between the guys on my floors and the girls on Floor 5 like nothing I've experienced. On Campus the profs were great, there were many extra circular programs to take part in (For me Fencing and news photography). Also one of the hidden jewels of this University is being downtown. Cleveland was one of the more underrated cities in America in the late 90's. Exploring these lands as a young adult was enthralling. The Rock n Roll hall of fame was a short walk away. Next to that was the abyss of Lake Erie. From a Photographer's perspective the options were limitless. I never felt unsafe, even venturing into abandon buildings to get a shot. I was young and bullet proof back then. Maybe its all changed but the decision to go to this school is one I'll never regret.

Got to tour the campus during their Fall Visit day. Parking was simple in the dedicated parking deck (free during visit). It was a short walk to the student center where we were given information about the school and it's programs. Lots and lots of walking and multiple parts of the tour were up and down several flights of steps. Excellent information and a wonderful tour and history about Playhouse theater. Close to home (an hour+ for us= local-ish!) Definitely recommend checking it out.

Update: This place is a complete joke now. I completed my undergrad here years ago and it was so much better. I used to love this college. So much has changed over the years. Not sure if CSU decided to cut half of its staff because it seems like there's almost never anyone available for questions. The enrollment center is not what it used to be. No one picks up the phone and don't bother leaving a message because they don't call back. When it comes to advisors, it's so difficult to get a hold of them or even get on their schedules for an appointment. Additionally, each semester they enroll me in health insurance automatically when I already told them I do not need it. Then, they never want to pick up or respond to emails regarding the extra $1000 charge and fix it. This is not the same university I went to years ago. So much has changed. The University needs better organization, management, and MORE STAFF!!!

I came to this university seeking education, growth, and a sense of belonging. Academically, there are opportunities. Socially, my experience has been deeply disappointing. A significant number of student-athletes were consistently rude, dismissive, and unwelcoming toward me. As an international student, I already carried the weight of being far from home - being treated like I didn’t belong only made that heavier. I wasn’t asking for special treatment, only basic respect and kindness. No student should feel invisible, isolated, or mocked in a place that claims to value diversity and inclusion. I hope this university seriously reflects on how students -especially athletes - represent this campus and how newcomers are treated.

I didn't take people's complaints about this university seriously until I was involved in a soul-shattering incident this past June, which I felt was handled inappropriately by the college itself. I was in the Accelerated Nursing program and was unfairly dismissed because of an unprofessional instructor who bullied me, causing me emotional distress and a financial burden, since I was forced to withdraw from a class that I didn't even attend and I didn't even get a refund for. I was told that in order to continue, I had to petition to go to the traditional program, which meant staying for another two years which is something that takes up more money and time. I had dreams of becoming a Physician Assistant but now I cannot even apply for PA school or any masters program because of how low my GPA had dropped unless I pay for more classes which I can no longer afford. To make matters worse, they restricted the U-Pass program for full time students only, forcing part-time students to find alternative modes of transportation or pay for an overpriced parking pass in one of their parking lots if you can ever find a spot to park in. Thanks for destroying my dreams CSU 💚. It's a joke that this place costs as much as Ohio State and yet it lacks so much.

Ever since I started at CSU, things have been an absolute mess. None of the departments seem to be in contact with each other very well, so it often times causes confusion and conflicting information. A lot of the staff members are hit or miss. Mostly miss. I've been paired with a lot of staff members who don't seem to care or respect students and would rather give you the runaround for information, ultimately causing time related issues for the student. Mr.Almony from the All-in-one services department is a good example of this. Additionally, a lot of staff members in important positions are not qualified at all. A good example is my current academic advisor. When first contacting her, she seemed confused as if she was never notified I was a student she was paired with. I had to give my student ID and information about my major multiple times over email because she forgot. Then she made an appointment for me that I never approved then asked me where I was at the supposed appointment time. Y'know, the one I never made! Then just recently she suggested a class to me that directly conflicted with the time of my other class. How does this even happen? Don't bother going to the CARE team either. I promise you, they do not care, they will cause you mental distress, and they are only qualified to redirect you back to the departments you were just at. I was paired with Ms.Camilya who spent the entire session shutting me down because I had concerns about how I was being treated in a different department. She took my frustration as attitude and thought it was necessary to project and give unsolicited life advice while treating me like I was an incompetent child. She also tried to pin the blame on me for supposedly misunderstanding a detail regarding financial aid. "You're angry at yourself so you're taking your frustration out on people who don't deserve it" are some of the exact words she said to me. If she had just spent the time listening to what I had to say, I would have explained the reason I was frustrated is tied back to not being given information in a timely manner by other departments. This prevented me from being able to make a decision about classes before it was too late to drop them, causing a financial burden. I walked out of that office crying my eyes out and feeling more uncared for than when I went in. She needs some serious training when it comes to handling student issues and should not be on the CARE team. There should NEVER be an instance where a student is silenced in a department that is supposed to listen to student problems and coming to resolutions. Just today, they removed U-Pass for students which is also unacceptable in a university that has a majority commuter population. The President's response is also unacceptable as they should have had a plan that would allow students to get reduced or free RTA passes. The only good thing I can say about this university so far is that the professors I've had and the classes I've been taking are enjoyable. There are also a few good faculty members, but they are very few and far between it seems based on my experience so far. If you have a choice, don't come to CSU unless you enjoy being stressed out all the time because no one is doing their job.

Dr. Bloomberg and frankly the entire administrative staff are ruining the university. Frustration after frustration with CSU. Wouldn't recommend anyone going here even if it was the last university on the planet.