Officials this semester stripped non-public health majors of their access to the Milken Institute School of Public Health, which students say eliminated a popular study space on campus.

Signs located at Milken’s entrance and front desk outline officials’ new policy that grants only public health students, faculty and staff GWorld tap access to the building. Non-public health students say they are upset officials retracted their access to the space at the start of the academic year without informing them of the decision in an email, and public health students say the restriction hasn’t mitigated crowds in the building.

A security guard, who requested to be anonymous due to privacy concerns, said the University decided to allow only public health majors to use the building this year because in the past the space has become overcrowded with students who arrive in the morning and spend the whole day studying.

The security guard said now when students who are not public health majors use their GWorld to tap into Milken, the scanner turns red and the door remains locked. They said if a student gains entry into the building, they must tap a second scanner located by the front desk, which will flash red or blue to indicate to security personnel whether the student is allowed inside the building.

The security guard said while the sign states that only public health students have GWorld tap access to the building, students who are registered for a class in Milken can also enter. Several Lifestyle, Sport and Physical Activity classes, like yoga, are taught in Milken’s basement, according to the schedule of classes. 

Students say they did not receive an email from officials informing them of the decision to restrict access to the building.

Marlee Alvino, a graduate student studying computer science, said Milken’s bright rooms and large windows made the building a “lovely space” to study in comparison to other spaces on campus like Gelman Library.

The 115,000 square foot building contains a variety of seating and desk options that span nine floors, like pods of tables, desks and booths, in addition to floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I really appreciate working in an area that has nice big windows, so you can see the real world while you’re studying and or suffering,” Alvino said.

Alvino said when she tried to tap into the Milken to use the study space this semester, she was upset when she discovered she would no longer have access to the space because the open concept made her feel “human.” She said other study spaces on campus like Gelman make her feel like a “prisoner” because the spaces are darker.

Ozzy Simpson, a senior majoring in computer science, said he studied “a lot” in Milken prior to this year. He said he and other students would arrive early to claim a study space for the whole day, which he understands made it difficult for public health students to study in their school’s academic building.

“I feel like it did get pretty crowded pretty quickly,” Simpson said.

He said he wonders if officials are going to continue to limit which academic buildings students are allowed to study in.

“If this does continue as a trend in other buildings, I think that is pretty sad,” Simpson said.

Ava Guishard, a sophomore majoring in public health, said she doesn’t think security guards are enforcing the restriction because study spaces are “still pretty busy” despite the new rule.

“I have to go up three floors to find somewhere to sit,” Guishard said.

Guishard said she does not understand officials’ “motives” behind restricting access to the building and disagrees with their decision. She said officials already staff Milken with security guards and does not think officials enacted these changes for safety reasons.

Lilly Buckley, a junior majoring in economics, said she used to go to Milken to study, complete homework assignments and work on job applications because the building was relatively quiet compared to other spaces on campus.

“Finding study spots on campus is pretty much a daily challenge,” Buckley said.

Buckley said she can sometimes still get into Milken to study depending on whether or not the security guard is watching what color the scanner turns when a student taps in.

She said during the school week she has snuck in behind other students to grab a study spot in Milken but other times, like during the weekend, she said cannot get in to which security guards tell her to leave.

Ellie Sneau, a senior majoring in international affairs, said she is not a Milken student but is allowed in the building since she takes a pilates class once a week.

She also said the building is on the furthest northwest border of campus close to where some students who live off-campus rent apartments. She said she thinks students who live off-campus were overusing the building because it is a close study place.

“There’s lots of townhomes over there with college students, and this is the closest study space on campus for them,” Sneau said.