Spring Break
Dining halls to stay open late for finals studying
Kelly Fryberger
Issue date: 12/9/08 Section: Front Page
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Nancy Heidtman, director of dining and culinary support services, and Associated Student Government (ASG) off-campus senator Nathan Zwayer, decided to keep Erickson, Harris and Alexander dining halls open extra hours during the week of exams.
Each of these dining halls will stay open from 8 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday of finals week, according to Heidtman.
Heidtman said food will not be directly provided, but the dining halls will have the pizza delivery operations running out of the units, as is usual during weekdays. This is a pizza and sub delivery service open from 8 p.m. to midnight on weekdays for students with meal plans.
Students living in residence halls near the dining facilities will be the main beneficiaries since they will not have to fight for tables at the library.
"I think it's really smart and convenient," sophomore Leigh Visconti, a resident of MacCracken Hall, said. "It's impossible to get tables at the library. I think it will be very beneficial for everybody, especially freshmen, who have never experienced finals."
According to Zwayer, the goal was to open dining halls on freshman quads.
"This is because freshman have not yet discovered the unique places they could study uptown and in academic buildings on campus," Zwayer said.
Nina Canzoneri, a junior resident assistant in Dorsey Hall, agreed that first-years will benefit from the extra hours.
"It's nice to have that option because the library is packed." Canzoneri said. "I think some (of my residents) might take advantage of it."
Heidtman said the three locations were also chosen because they are farthest from the library.
Sophomore Lynn Susong, who lives on central quad, said, "I think it will be great for those of us who do not want to walk all the way to the library."
Some students worry that others will use the dining halls as a social climate instead of getting work done.
"(Studying in the dining hall) will only create a social scene for lowerclassmen," senior Caroline Scacca said. "People will only procrastinate more."
Heidtman said dining services is asking ASG to get a professional staff member from the residence hall staff to serve as a proctor, but ultimately the responsibility falls on the students to stay focused.
"I would hope that students that will be there are serious about their studies or works," Heidtman said.
According to Heidtman, the dining halls have opened for extra studying time during finals weeks before, but this will be the first time in many years.
Amos Music Library, Brill Science Library and the Wertz Art and Architecture Library plan to offer extended hours all week for students studying for finals.
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