WLUSU proposes new study space in concourse

With the exam period creeping up, many students at Wilfrid Laurier University have begun to find themselves battling with their peers to secure that perfect study space on campus. But a larger population of students, crammed onto the same small campus, study space, for some, has become a rare luxury.

In order to help combat the lack of study space on campus, the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union has decided to implement a pilot project in the upper concourse. From Nov. 27 until Dec. 14, between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 am, enough tables and chairs to fit roughly 150 students will house the upper concourse.

“It’s been something that’s been talked about for a while,” explained Chris Walker, vice-president of university affairs. “Study space is obviously an issue for students.”

The idea, he continued, had been spoken about for some time, but has only recently been considered a reality and been put into action.

For now, WLUSU will collect data from the pilot project to see how beneficial it is to students, and whether or not it is utilized. The information they get back will then determine if the upper concourse will be used after-hours in the future for students as study space.

“We will keep track of how many students are actually using it and if it’s worth the investment of time and resources, we’ll try and maintain it, or look at more permanent options,” continued Walker. “The data we collect on this will definitely depend on when we start it up again or if we do it again.”

For now, the study space will only be available until Dec. 14, because, according to Walker, with exams ending on Dec. 19, campus activity will begin to die down, and there will be less of a demand for study space because other areas, such as the library, will become more accessible.

However, Walker expressed that even before the pilot project began, he heard positive feedback from students.

Heather Barnes, a third year student, approved of the idea.

“It seems like a good idea,” she told The Cord. “It will add some much needed spots … because there are too many students for the available study spaces.”

Barnes, as well as Sarah Pawelko, another third year student, also agreed that more silent study space should be implemented around campus.

“I think bringing back the dining hall as an area for groups to work in would be better, removing them from the quiet library, or making it possible for regular students to use the quiet study rooms in the library that are not used by the ALC students a lot,” said Pawelko.

Walker concluded by explaining that members of WLUSU are excited about the pilot project, and hope that it will provide some additional study space for students.

“Everybody’s complaining, and when you have a growing population without a growing campus, things start to get tight at the seams,” he said.