In the not-too-distant future, students will be able to grab a cup of coffee in the Sciences Library at 3 a.m. or lounge around Josiah's with friends at 4, thanks to the University's response to requests for more 24-hour study spaces.
Existing 24-hour spaces are located in Faunce House, the Center for Information Technology and New Pembroke 4, but many members of the Brown community, including David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services, have been eyeing the SciLi and Jo's as potential 24-hour spaces.
"The culture of Brown's campus lends itself to needing a complex system of study environments," Greene said. "The proposed renovation of the SciLi and other projects to create more 24-hour study spaces is a response to students' need for study spaces at various times of day."
Undergraduate Council of Students President Brian Bidadi '06 said that he felt the current amount of space available for 24-hour study is insufficient.
The need for more 24-hour spaces has been a main item on UCS's agenda in recent years. Two years ago, plans were developed to convert Faunce into a 24-hour space. Bidadi said he felt the opening of Faunce as a 24-hour space in fall 2004 was "a great step forward. In taking any initiative, you need to have a first step. Faunce House was that first step; we brought a 24-hour space on campus."
Bidadi said he feels strongly that the University should provide students with facilities to meet their needs, and students "should not need to change their study habits."
Two locations are the current focus of efforts to convert spaces for late-night use. Sometime this year, Josiah's will be available as a nighttime study space, although it will remain closed during the day.
"The Jo's idea is excellent," said Bidadi, who felt strongly about the need for more nighttime spaces not only for study use, but also for socializing and late-night dining. "Pretty much everything in Providence closes at 2 a.m., and it would be nice to have any kind of food options superior to basic vending," he said.
However, the SciLi's renovation will be the "centerpiece of the study space project," Greene said.
The project, which will create the Friedman Study Center, is now in its design phase and is set to be finished in Fall 2007. The renovations will target the lower three floors of the SciLi.
Greene said the SciLi was selected for the renovation because it was the "most feasible project which we could do fairly quickly." The SciLi's central location and large open spaces also made it attractive to planners.
The Friedman Center will include a café area as well as study locations to accommodate both group and individual study. The University announced plans for the Center after the February Corporation meeting, in which the Corporation accepted a $5 million donation for the center from Susan Friedman '77 and Richard Friedman '79.
Bidadi said he anticipated that the café would be a highly used space. "It will be a great place for a study break, to work in groups or even just to pick up a coffee between classes," he said.
Plans for group study spaces include small study rooms with computers, said Greene.
Over the summer, student focus groups met with architects and designers to discuss some of the potential features of the Friedman Center. The focus group considered details including what kind of chairs and clocks the space should have and how to arrange the tables and computer clusters, Bidadi said.
Even students who don't usually study in the early hours of the morning are excited about the prospect of 24-hour study spaces. Jean Rudnicki '08 said that "having the option of a 24-hour study space benefits the whole community." Rudnicki rarely uses the 24-hour spaces, but said that they allow students to study late at night without disturbing their roommates or others in their dorms.
Greene said the University does have concerns about students' use of round-the-clock study spaces. Students need sleep "for both their health and their intellectual well-being," he said.
The primary concern of the project's designer's is students' safety. Greene said "We want to be sure students can go to and from the study space safely."
Jack Sweeney-Taylor '06 said he is concerned about the willingness of the University to hire more security guards for a 24-hour space.
"It's very important to maintain the safety of the study area," said Sweeney-Taylor, who added that he does not see the need for additional 24-hour spaces. "2 a.m. is plenty late."
Patricia Wissar '06, who has worked at the SciLi circulation desk since her sophomore year, said she did not think that any students would be too keen on the idea of working during the late shifts, but she insisted that she felt positively about planned study center. "It would be great to have a 24-hour space in the SciLi. The CIT clusters are always packed," she said.
Other students agreed that current 24-hour spaces were too busy.
Yoon Ham '08 said he felt it was hard to focus in the CIT because of the crowds. "In the SciLi, it's easier to focus, so it's where I generally study."
The Friedman Center is "one major effort to accommodate students' study needs, but I wouldn't be surprised if we were to being talking about other efforts in the not too distant future," said Greene.
"We will be making improvements in this area. The more we can do to make sure students have the spaces to accommodate their needs, the better."
