With the beginning of Faunce House's 24-hour schedule later this week, students will have a spot to study any time of the day. This space is the product of months of planning and security considerations, many of which have been addressed.
Beginning at 1 a.m. Friday, Faunce will be open 24 hours a day, five days a week. From Monday to Friday, students will be able to gain access to the Upper and Lower Blue Rooms by swiping their Brown ID. Both Blue Rooms will remain open to everyone during weekdays, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Faunce will still close at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
The transformation of Faunce into an all-night study space has been a year in the making, said Kate Wolford RUE '06, project director in the Office of the Vice President of Campus Life and Student Services. The idea started to evolve early last fall when administrators, including Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services David Greene, identified the necessity of expanding late-night study areas. That need became known partly through discussions from the Undergraduate Council of Students, Wolford said, adding that she could "not underestimate the involvement and value of UCS in this."
The administration also noted positive student feedback in the past after the office of the Dean of the College sponsored 24-hour study breaks in the Ivy Room and Faunce.
After realizing there was interest in a 24-hour space, Wolford and her office began to explore possible locations. Faunce was the natural choice, Wolford said, because of its central location and security options.
For administrators, security was a central concern with a 24-hour space. Those questions were addressed last fall by the Department of Public Safety, Wolford said, and the University hired an outside consulting firm to address concerns and suggest safety mechanisms. The firm was one the University had worked with before, and it suggested adding security cameras.
In the spring, facilities workers installed the recommended security devices and wired the building for card access. The principal security measure was the addition of closed-circuit cameras and "contact alarms" on the doors. Those alarms allow police at the Department of Public Safety's station on Charlesfield Street to monitor the entrance of everyone who opens a door.
Director of Public Safety Paul Verrecchia wrote in an e-mail that another major way to maintain safety in Faunce late at night is for students to "be aware of their surroundings."
"Should they see anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or suspicious, they should give DPS a call immediately," Verrecchia wrote, chief of Brown police and director of public safety.
Both Verrecchia and Wolford noted the importance of eliminating "tailgating," which occurs when students swipe in and allow individuals to trail in behind them. A student following another student should wait and swipe in independently, Verrecchia wrote, rather than following the first student in.
"I am confident that the students are mature and responsible enough to be aware of their safety responsibilities," Verrecchia wrote.
The 24-hour project has been in the works for months, but it wasn't until last spring that it started to gain momentum.
Wolford and other planners also met with Dining Services to discuss future 24-hour dining options and the implementation of additional vending machines.
Finishing touches, such as new soft-seating furniture and vending machines for late-night snacks, are on their way, Wolford said.
The project's managers also conducted surveys of students concerning issues such as study lighting and safety concerns.
The facility will be open to graduate and medical students, as well as undergraduates. Faculty will not have access to Faunce between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.
While the 24-hour schedule will start Friday with a kickoff event, it will continue to be a work in progress this year. "Hopefully students will give us a lot of feedback," Wolford said, noting possible additions such as the presence of Writing Fellows to offer assistance late at night.
Despite some concerns, students are enthusiastic and appreciative of the university's extensive efforts. Sarah Stoner '06 called the 24-hour concept "amazing" but also expressed concern over the late-night study habits of students, wondering if this will be "further encouragement and motivation to stay up all night."
Similarly, Stefanie Simons '06.5 said she thinks the 24-hour space is "a good idea, especially because there's wireless Internet access." But she expressed concern about safe transportation for students after safeRIDE stops running. She said she hopes to see more 24-hour options in the future, especially for students living off campus. Currently, the other 24-hour option is the study rooms on the first floor of New Pembroke 4, which are accessible to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Wolford said her office is planning to take these concerns into consideration.
"Like many of our programs, we need to try it and see how it works and then adjust it to the needs of the students," she said.
