Strewn shopping carts from Wal-Mart have become an issue for residence halls. Whitley Hall has a larger number of carts outside. Because of this, students are not allowed to bring carts inside the building.

“We, as students, need to take action,” Brayan Dicante a resident of Whitley Hall said. “We need to communicate with the school about this issue. They should have a specific area so we can put the shopping carts.”

Since there is not a specific area where students put the shopping carts they just leave the carts anywhere. This causes issues for some when they try to find a parking space. Most of the shopping carts are in the handicapped parking lots, which is an even larger issue.

“Wal-Mart bought more shopping carts,” Matthew (no last name given), an employee of Walt-Mart, said. “Usually during holidays we send somebody to retrieve the carts from the school campus.”

Students who don’t drive or don’t have a form of transportation are the ones who are in need of shopping cart to transport their products from the store to their residence halls.

However, are they taking advantage of Wal-Mart?

“It is a privilege that we as a students can use shopping carts and transport our food and products,” Dicante said.“ But I don’t think it is right that we take advantage of that and leave carts everywhere”

Regardless of right or wrong, some students are leaveing shopping carts in several places that may cause other issues for Whitley residents.

Some students offered suggestions as to how this issue could be alleviated.

“Wal-Mart can label carts and those carts with a label on must be used only for students,” Dicante said.“Also by labeling the carts may give a good image towards the school and Wal-Mart.” Dicante added. “Students also have to do their part.”

There are plenty of ways to “fix” the shopping cart issue that involve not only the Whitley residents but also involve the rest of the school. This is an issue that can potentially damage the reputaiton of A&M-commerce.

“If carts are so beneficial to students they should conserve them and take care of them,” Matthew said.

It is a past and present issue that can link into the future of the shopping carts and the realationship between students, the University and Wal-mart, if the school or students do not do anything about it.

At the end of the day, having specific places for the carts will benefit recruitment and retention of future students.