Students’ concerns over lack of study space triggers discussion
For two years, students have asked on multiple occasions for more 24-hour study spaces on campus. In response to that, the Student Government Association 2018-19 executive board made it a top priority of theirs to focus on increasing the number of study spaces.
According to Gary Segrue, the director of Safety and Security, SGA originally approached Katie O’Brien, vice president of Student Affairs, about the possibility of opening more study spaces 24/7.
“Because the idea would have security concerns, VP O’Brien referred the SGA executive board to me to address the concerns and develop a security plan,” Segrue said.
The process of designing a system that works for both SGA and Safety and Security has been difficult.
“It has been a very difficult process because we have had to work with Safety and Security to come up with a feasible plan,” Geoffrey Broadbent, president of SGA and senior biology and political science double major, said. “We were able to clear the plan with Gary Segrue that they would be able to handle the additional security concerns that come with opening a building 24/7.”
For this idea to work, security patrols would need to complete frequent walk-throughs of the associated spaces and be available for safety escorts.
“Whenever you open buildings 24/7, security personnel would need to patrol those spaces to ensure the safety of individuals, as well as the protection of university property,” Segrue said. “There are many issues that need to be addressed: Which floors would be open, which rooms would be available, what technology would be available for use and for what purpose, are the occupants able to shut interior doors are just a few examples.”
The discussions surrounding this possibility are preliminary, but there are still perspectives from academics, security, student affairs and facilities needed, according to Segrue.
“I met with the SGA executive board who clarified their intentions,” Segrue said. “They were asked to make a formal request opening one building 24/7 via email. I am unaware of the status of the formal request.”
Amanda Brogan, a graduate student in the school of education, thinks students would jump at the chance to utilize Plassmann as a 24-hour study space.
“I think that it would be very beneficial to make Plassmann a 24/7 study space,” Brogan said. “There are times when there are too many people in the library, and it seems that there is not enough space to set up and study.”
Brogan also addressed concerns about opening up all of Plassmann, due to the potential issues for the cleaning staff having to clean and shut rooms down. However, she still feels opening up the space would be helpful for students’ productivity.
“A lot of students pull all-nighters on a regular basis, and it would be helpful to have other spaces to utilize so that we aren’t keeping roommates up,” Brogan said. “I think it would also benefit students that live off campus spaces that are equipped for studying.”
Daniel Bakowski, sophomore political science and international studies double major, currently uses Plassmann as a study space in the Center for Law and Society room on the second floor.
“Whenever I am working late in the law room in Plassmann and I need to leave the building briefly for either a study break, food or to go back to my home to grab something, the greatest problem that I consistently run into is that I always find the doors locked at inconsistent and inconvenient times, particularly the doors closest to the parking lot,” Bakowski said. “This then prevents me from getting back into the building to retrieve what I had left in the law room or continue working on whatever project or assignment I was doing in the building beforehand.”
Bakowski said that since students use the first floor lounge, printers, computer lab and help center all throughout the day in Plassmann already, people would most likely continue to do so in the evenings if they were allowed to. Plassmann also has numerous open classrooms, which Bakowski feels would make for the perfect location for a 24/7 study space.
“I think it is very important for Bona’s to have 24/7 study areas on campus because every single student has different academic and study needs that the school should strive to accommodate to the best of their ability,” Bakowski said. “Adding more locations in a variety of different buildings can only help create these needed areas for students to relax, study and work together in.”
