Students will be able to study a little longer during this year’s finals and avoid crowds at Gelman Library due to an extension of hours in Duqu?s Hall.

Starting today, Duqu?s will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. every weekday until Dec. 20. Saturday, Duqu?s will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., according to SA Sen. Nathan Brill (SoB-U), a junior.

Students will have access to 15 different study areas throughout Duqu?s including study lounges, computer labs and group meeting rooms, Brill said.

When Duqu?s opened last February, the School of Business established hours that made it difficult for business school students to study and meet for group projects, especially during finals and midterms, Brill said.

“A major problem that I see on campus is a lack of study space, especially during finals, when many other students and I won’t even go near Gelman because it is a mad-house,” said Brill in an e-mail Saturday. “The business school recognized this problem and built all this study space, but it opens at 6:30 am and closes at 10 or 10:30. It is also closed on Sundays.”

Brill said he started meeting with administrators at the School of Business, including Mary Gowan, associate dean of undergraduate student programs at the School of Business, at the beginning of this semester to extend the hours at Duqu?s.

Brill said that he lobbied for even longer hours at Duqu?s during the regular school year, but that additional hours and the continuation of the hours granted during finals week depends on the success of the extra hours added during this year’s finals week.

“I hope this will be permanent,” Brill said. “However, people need to take advantage of this opportunity and be responsible of the academic environment.”