Introduction

The Student Affairs Committee was given this charge:
“In support of Charge S-0208 to the Budget and Finance Committee, provide input on the kinds and amounts of after-hours study space that would meet student needs.  Include recommendations for all three campuses.  Provide advice on ways to make students more aware of problems of vandalism, vandalism’s impact on academic functions, as well as the cost of repairs that must be passed on to students.  Suggest ways in which greater respect for University facilities can be encouraged.”

The Student Affairs Committee proceeded to pose the question as to whether or not there was a need for after-hour study space on the three (3) Rutgers campuses.

• Newark Campus:  An attempt had been made at acquiring after-hours study space, but it was deemed unfeasible.
• Camden Campus:  Results were similar to those on Newark Campus.
• New Brunswick Campus:
• It was deemed necessary that space be made available to the students for after-hour study space, because of the fact that the Libraries on the New Brunswick Campus do not remain open Twenty-Four (24) hours a day, the latest open Library is open until 2:00 A.M.
• On each of the Three (3) of the Five (5) undergraduate college campuses there are locations open Twenty-Four (24) hours a day, during the normal work week, therefore it is possible to have locations for after-hours study.
• Busch Campus has the Allison Road Classroom (ARC) Building, which during the business week is open 24 hours a day.  This building also has classroom space, which can be used by students for studying after the hours in which the Libraries are closed.   The Allison Road Classroom building is open 24 hours because there is a staffed computer lab within it.
• Livingston Campus has Tillet Hall, which is open 24 hours a day during the business week for the Livingston Computer Center, which has classroom space across from it.
• College Ave. Campus has a computer lab in Records Hall, which is open 24 hours a day.  However there is no room in Records Hall for study space, but College Ave. Campus does have classroom space in the basements of the River Dorms.  Therefore the classroom space in the basement of one of the River Dorms could be utilized for the after-hours study space on the College Ave. Campus.
• The Other two Undergraduate college campuses however do not have an area open 24 hours that could be used for study space this is what the report has on those issues.

• The 3rd week of the semester, the student center is open Sunday-Thursday until 3am
• The Sunday prior to reading exams the student center is open 24 hours until the last day of exams
• Research has shown that students do not utilize the study space on Thursdays
• When there are  major exams on Cook, such as the Biology ,Chemistry or midterm exams students to utilize the study space offered in the student center until 3am, however by 2:45 am the students begin to wander out.
• The student center is a good location because it is in close proximity to the residence halls
• During finals there are  a few students who stay for the entire 24 hour period, however the numbers begin to drop by 4am
• The staffing of the student center is comprised completely of student managers
• During the regular school year the coffee shop is open until 2am and the center closes at 3 am
• The 24 hour study space may not be beneficial to commuters because the center is not close to the commuter parking lots
• The campus center director- Francine Corely works closely with her student managers and makes sure that she is in tune with the wants and needs of the Cook student population
• The Chang Library
• The Chang Library is staffed by 4 people- 2 full time staff members and 2 reference Librarians.
• The Chang Library serves as a Science Library to the Rutgers Community, it provides periodicals, books , journals in addition to an online index and journals
• There are 50 PC’s and 50 seats for students to utilize
• The Chang Library is open Mon.-Thursday from 830am- midnight
• Friday-830-9pm
• Sat10-6
• During finals the library extends its hours until 10 PM on Friday.
• The Brach Manager Dean Meister- observed that students do utilize the library during the day , but around 10 the library is virtually empty.  By apx. 1130 there are normally no students in the library.
• Meister also expressed a concern with extending the hours do to safety reasons.  The Library shuttle which goes through Douglass & cook does not make a stop in front of the library.
• Also with the limited staff the feasibility of having a staff member staying or rotating a 24 hour shift would be very difficult.

Douglass College-

• The Douglass College student center is open Mon.-Friday from 8am –12midnight
• Sat/sun 11am - midnight
• The student center also offers late night study from midnight to 3am in the NJC Lounge
• The late night study also served food from Mabels which the students can purchase
• The Mabel Computer Lab is located on the 3rd floor of the student center.
• The Computer lab is accessible Mon.-Thursday from 830pm –3am
• Friday the computer lab is open from 830 am to 12am
• Sat the lab is open from noon-midnight
• And Sunday the lab is open from Noon to 3am
• The study hours of the student center are not altered during finals
• There is a library shuttle which circulates throughout Douglass and Cook from 7pm to 2am which makes a stop by the student center to transport students from various locations on campus to their residence halls
• Loree Computer Lab
• The Loree computer lab is open Monday-Thursday from 830 – 130am
• Friday from 830-9pm
• Sat from noon-9pm
• Sunday from noon until 1am
• The Loree student center host 153 computers, broken down that is 87 MACS 60PC”S and 12 X-terminals
• The Loree Lab is staffed with 65 members
• The Loree labs also control the hours for the computer labs on Cook and in the Douglass College student center
• Stacey Cita one of the managers at Loree computer lab expressed her concern over safety issues she stated ‘thus far the college does not want to fund for additional security officers, at least in my experience.”
• Cita also noted that there is only a 4 hour period that computer labs are not available on either Cook Or Douglass.  AS stated earlier the Computer Lab in the Cook student center opens at 715 am and closes at 3am.
• Stacey Cita also observed that there is a difference between the need for study space and the need to be accessible to a computer lab.
• Loree lab is open Dec2-11 24 hours which is right before finals.  During finals the lab returns to regular operating hours.

------In conclusion------
I believe that both Cook and Douglass have more than substantial study space and access to computer labs.  I will suggest that this knowledge be more publicized during finals and midterms.  In speaking with the students and staff member of the facilities there is a general consensus that students on Cook and Douglass would not fully utilize the implementation of 24 hour study space.  One of the major issues of supplying 24 hour study space are safety issues and financial burdens.  Will the colleges put more money towards police officers or student safety officers to patrol for extra hours? In addition,  Will it be feasible for the University to hire extra persons in the wake of our budget cuts.

• In terms of preventing vandalism using the Rutgers University Police Department Security Division to patrol the areas, which are regular areas for the patrols.  Also in the cases of the Allison Road Classroom Building, and Tillet Hall, the Computing Center Staff could perform periodic inspections.
• Other ways to inform students of vandalism, vandalism’s effects on academic functions, and the cost can be provided to students through current campus media.  Examples of which are through E-Mail, the Rutgers Info Channel, Campus Mail, and through signs/posters.