The Student Association has proposed a resolution that would extend the hours of Gelman Library’s fourth- and fifth-floor study lounges until 2 a.m., but administrators are concerned about the cost and security risks of longer hours.
According to the resolution, the current hours of the study lounges, Monday thorough Thursday until midnight and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m., do not accommodate students’ academic needs.
“I concentrate better at night and when it gets crowded on the first floor, I can’t study,” sophomore Jami Avellini said.
The SA resolution said the first-floor study lounge does not have enough space to accommodate the number of students who want to study late at night.
Undergraduate Sen. Philip Meisner (ESIA), chair of the SA’s Student Life Committee and sponsor of the resolution, said he felt the study hours should be expanded because of the increasing student population.
Meisner said the campus is home to 300 more freshmen this year than last, which caused Thurston Hall study lounges to be converted into student rooms early this semester.
“All of those kids have to study someplace,” Meisner said.
Dan Seigel, a member of the SA’s Undergraduate Policy Committee, suggested the resolution after he noticed the lack of study space last year, Meisner said.
But Gelman Library administrators are worried about the cost of increased security if the hours of the study rooms are extended, University Librarian Jack Siggins said.
Siggins said Gelman administration is not opposed to the resolution, but he foresees security problems. Siggins said the library has 30,000 square feet per floor, and an abundance of “nooks and crannies” for students to become isolated in the library late at night.
“If someone were to get attacked, I would never forgive myself,” Siggins said.
Increased security is not only costly, but it is difficult to find employees willing to work late-night hours, Siggins said.
Meisner said he favors hiring an extra security officer to patrol during the night, but said the SA would not have enough money to offer to pay for the added security.
“There’s always a chance something can happen, you just have to reduce the risk,” Meisner said.
Meisner said he hopes the resolution is the first step to making Gelman Library a 24-hour facility.
Other campuses such as Emory and Georgetown universities and the University of Pennsylvania have 24-hour libraries, and Meisner said GW should have the same resources.
“I think it’s a great idea, especially when you have to write a paper late at night,” sophomore Danielle Saccheiti said.
Correction
The article “SA proposes extended hours at Gelman” on p. 10 of the Sept. 14 issue of The GW Hatchet misidentified Sen. Philip Meisner (ESIA) as chair of the Student Association Senate’s Student Affairs Committee. Sen. Alexis Rice serves as the committee’s chair and Meisner is a member of the committee.
