Written by: April Espinoza
Southern Adventist University has been experiencing a lack of student workers on campus, with eateries such as the Dining Hall and CK2 constantly looking for new hires. This semester, The Kayak is also experiencing a worker shortage and briefly had to change its opening hours to address the issue.
“This is the first semester that Kayak did not have a full staff by the first week of school,” said Kayak Manager Cheryl Maguire. “Students just did not apply like they previously have, and several former workers did not come back due to graduating and/or heavier schedules.”
Maguire said the main reason students are not working on campus is that most students got job offers off campus which pay more, and others have left due to busier school schedules.”
The Kayak is fully up and functioning at regular hours, according to Maguire. She said there were only two nights when, due to a student quitting without any notice and no one being able to fill in, the eatery had to close early.
Allison Hickam, a freshman liberal arts education major, started working at the Kayak this semester.
“I actually really enjoy working there,” Hickam said.
The Kayak job openings are posted on the student job board, and posters have been put up at The Kayak as well as on its Instagram account, @sau_kayak. The Kayak is operating at minimal coverage and could still use a couple more workers, according to Maguire.
“Students are given shifts that fit within their schedule,” Maguire said. “Our shifts are normally two-and-a-half-hour shifts, and we have rotating Sundays that are four-and-a-half-hour shifts.”
