Students get new late-night study options

Students living in Hamilton Village will no longer need to worry about straying too far away from their homes to find a quiet place to study. This semester, the Veranda and the Class of 1920 Commons will be open 24 hours during reading days and the final exam period to provide more study space for students. The effort was organized by Undergraduate Assembly member Lara Bonner, who came up with the idea at the beginning of this month when trying to organize efforts to keep Van-Pelt Library open 24 hours during reading periods. "People who live [in] Superblock told me [both places] would be good places to study," the College freshman said. The Office of the Vice Provost of University Life approved making the Veranda a 24-hour space while Dining Services granted approval to 1920 Commons. The Commons and the Veranda have been open all night in the past. The Veranda was open for 24 hours for a short period of time during the reading days period last spring, but the VPUL office decided to close the facility at 2 a.m. in the fall because of poor attendance. Officials blamed the previous low usage on poor advertising and said they will try to inform all students about the study options this year. But Bonner said this program should be successful because Hamilton Village residents are often inconvenienced, as other 24-hour study places -- including Van Pelt Library's Rosengarten Reserve and the Silfen Study Center in Williams Hall -- are too far away. The study areas will also benefit off-campus residents who cannot access the rooftop lounges in the three high rises, which are only open for 24 hours for their residents but close at 2 a.m. to everyone else. "We have done this in the past," Managing Director of Campus Dining Peg Lacey said. "[It's] just to make sure there is enough space for students to study." Lacey added that although Dining has approved making Commons a late-night study space, details such as security arrangements have not been worked out. They do, however, plan to actively advertise Commons' availability. According to Perelman Quadrangle Manager Kris Werez, who has been coordinating the use of the Veranda, Academic Support Services has tentatively scheduled the use of the space for tutoring sessions during reading days, which she said will hopefully draw more students to the space. "I hope [students] will utilize the space -- it's been very popular for tutoring sessions," she said. Werez added that the Veranda will close at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday during the reading period, but then during the reading days and exams -- Sunday through Thursday -- it will be monitored by a security guard on site from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.