The controversy over the new Library hours has been an ongoing battle for students.

The general population of students has come to the consensus that they are not OK with the new hours, and if the university can’t come up with a satisfying solution soon, the relationship between students and the university will greatly deteriorate.

A plethora of reasons for why the Library should revert back to its previous hours has been heard, but the issue isn’t whether or not the Library should stay open later. Rather, it seems to be about who should pay the $36,000 to fund the extended hours.

Protests regarding the controversy have already been in full swing.

Following the first “sit-out,” students were pledged 24/5 hours during midterms and finals weeks, but students decided to continue with their protests until the full hours are returned and plan to do another sit-out protest until they get their way.

As of now, most students don’t have a lot of studying to do because the semester is only beginning, but when the pressure of academia,
part-time jobs and student organizations start to kick in, the protesters will likely pick up even more steam.

As the course loads get heavier, students will only get angrier that they don’t have access to the resources they feel they deserve.

If students think their education is not being taken seriously, they will continue to question whether or not the university has their best interest at heart. Because the
relationship between the students and the university is a working one, we will begin to see a breakdown in the relationship if the school doesn’t reach a student-satisfying solution soon.

The first-year students have an awkward position in this battle because they were not here when the Library was open 24/5. But while first-year students may not be aware or concerned now, they will eventually form opinions on the issue, especially when it can affect them academically. Most first-year students live on campus and the Library is sometimes the only effective place for them to study.

Unfortunately, they will not get to experience it to its fullest capacity as resource for a safe and quite place to study in the late night hours.

If the issue isn’t resolved in a timely manner, the movement to change the Library hours will only grow larger and more vocal — especially as the protesters gain support from the first-year students who realize what they are missing out on.

Bryana Wall is a freshman majoring in mass communications.