<\/p>\n
Queens University students complained of pests in the school\u2019s dining facilities following health inspections on Jan. 28 and Feb. 6.<\/p>\n
KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH<\/p>\n
knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com<\/p>\n
Rats huddling under the soda dispenser, gnats in the Raisin Bran, a lone roach scuttling up a wall during dinner.<\/p>\n
Just weeks after Queens University of Charlotte said it addressed issues raised in a lackluster Jan. 28 health inspection<\/a> of its dining spaces, students took to social media in late February and early March to post evidence of continuing issues. Their videos of pests, including rats and a live cockroach allegedly in the dining hall, quickly gained traction.<\/p>\n \u201cHas someone called the health department yet?\u201d one student posted to Yik Yak, a social media app popular on college campuses which allows users to post anonymously to other people nearby.<\/p>\n \u201cHas anyone tried asking for a meal plan refund yet?\u201d asked another.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are aware of a video currently circulating on social media regarding a rodent sighting at the Trexler Student Center,\u201d Dean of Students Amber Slack and Chief Financial Officer Matt Packey wrote in an email to students March 3. A student shared the email with The Charlotte Observer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe apologize to the community for this occurrence,\u201d it stated. \u201cIt is unacceptable, and please be assured that we have taken immediate steps to resolve this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n The school promised to bring in pest control, monitor food storage and continue to follow sanitation protocols. It came months after health inspectors reported the presence of pests in some of the school\u2019s dining spaces<\/a> in January, which was followed by a clean health report of those same spaces in early February.<\/p>\n Queens said its dining facilities are safe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe university takes these concerns seriously and acted promptly to review and address the situation,\u201d a school spokesperson told The Observer. \u201cAfter careful and thorough inspections, there was no indication of any food safety issue, and it remains safe to eat in the dining hall.\u201d<\/p>\n But some students still don\u2019t feel comfortable eating in the small university\u2019s only dining hall, despite already paying for meal plans, said a student who requested anonymity since she is currently employed by the university.<\/p>\n Recent health inspections<\/p>\n Queens leadership acknowledged the January report from Mecklenburg County Health Department<\/a> in which several dining areas within the school\u2019s student center received a grade of 84.5.<\/p>\n Inspectors reported \u201cgnats throughout the facility.\u201d It was a repeat violation, as inspectors made the same note on a previous report in October 2025. On the January report, inspectors also noted food debris on some equipment, missing labels and timestamps and employee belongings sitting on top of clean dishes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile an 84.5 \u2018B\u2019 rating is considered \u2018satisfactory\u2019 by the Mecklenburg County Food and Facilities Sanitation Program Standards, we recognize that it does not meet the excellence we strive for and that you deserve,\u201d Slack and Packey wrote in an email to students Feb. 5, which a student provided to The Observer. \u201cOur dining facilities have consistently received an \u2018A\u2019 and nothing less than that is acceptable to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Another inspection was conducted Feb. 6, and all dining facilities in Queens\u2019 student center received an A. There were a few issues the inspector noted, including some food and sticker residue on containers and cooked chicken stored at an improper temperature.<\/p>\n Then, videos of a live rat in the dining hall began circulating in early March.<\/p>\n Despite the university\u2019s reassurances that pest control services dealt with the issue, students continue to express concern online. The student who spoke with the Observer said she and others are opting to order food delivery from services like DoorDash and Uber Eats instead.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, many students already paid for meal plans at the university, which range from $4,048 to $7,550<\/a> per year for students who live on-campus.<\/p>\n See the recent inspection reports from Jan. 28 and Feb. 6 below.<\/p>\n This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Charlotte Observer<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CLT_Rebecca_1.JPG\")