Dundee Room computer lab reduces hours due to student safety concerns
Nichole Crouse
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: News
As the Dundee Room of the Milo Bail Student Center began closing its doors at night this semester, procrastinators and night owls lost their computer lab.
Last semester, students had access to a 24-hour study room that included three computers and a printer in the Dundee Room, located just inside the north doors of the student center.
Beginning this semester, however, the room's hours were changed to the building's regular hours, leaving it locked at night.
The primary reason for the lab closing was concerns over student safety, said Jim Welch, director of the student center.
After having Campus Security monitor the traffic, Welch said, the decision was made to close the lab. Response time to a potential incident was the university's biggest concern.
"The lab was used, but not used that late at night," Welch said.
While no significant safety incidents have occurred during the late hours of the lab, Welch said he wants to keep it that way. The decision to change the hours of the lab was one building officials and administrators had been discussing for a few years.
"We felt that we had been fortunate in the past and didn't want to take a chance with student safety," Welch said. "That's what it boils down to."
UNO student regent Neal Bonacci said in an e-mail he was meeting with Welch this week to discuss the changes because he felt having a 24-hour computer lab on campus was beneficial to students.
"It is a place that students know they can go to if they need Internet or printing access at all hours of the day," Bonacci said. "Though it only had a few computers, it was very convenient and was a computer lab where I saw students working in it at all hours of the day."
Currently, there are few late-night options for students looking to use a computer on campus and none after midnight. While Welch said he sees this as an issue, he is unsure of how big of an issue it is with so many students carrying laptops or having access to a desktop computer at home.
The Dundee Room is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Other campus options include the Criss Library, which is open until midnight Sunday through Thursday, and the Milo Bail Student Center Elmwood Room, which is open until midnight every day.
Last semester, students had access to a 24-hour study room that included three computers and a printer in the Dundee Room, located just inside the north doors of the student center.
Beginning this semester, however, the room's hours were changed to the building's regular hours, leaving it locked at night.
The primary reason for the lab closing was concerns over student safety, said Jim Welch, director of the student center.
After having Campus Security monitor the traffic, Welch said, the decision was made to close the lab. Response time to a potential incident was the university's biggest concern.
"The lab was used, but not used that late at night," Welch said.
While no significant safety incidents have occurred during the late hours of the lab, Welch said he wants to keep it that way. The decision to change the hours of the lab was one building officials and administrators had been discussing for a few years.
"We felt that we had been fortunate in the past and didn't want to take a chance with student safety," Welch said. "That's what it boils down to."
UNO student regent Neal Bonacci said in an e-mail he was meeting with Welch this week to discuss the changes because he felt having a 24-hour computer lab on campus was beneficial to students.
"It is a place that students know they can go to if they need Internet or printing access at all hours of the day," Bonacci said. "Though it only had a few computers, it was very convenient and was a computer lab where I saw students working in it at all hours of the day."
Currently, there are few late-night options for students looking to use a computer on campus and none after midnight. While Welch said he sees this as an issue, he is unsure of how big of an issue it is with so many students carrying laptops or having access to a desktop computer at home.
The Dundee Room is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Other campus options include the Criss Library, which is open until midnight Sunday through Thursday, and the Milo Bail Student Center Elmwood Room, which is open until midnight every day.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
biff
posted 1/29/09 @ 8:03 PM CST
So has Jim Welch been on campus at 2-3-4 am? Plenty of students used that lab at all hours of the night.
Campus Security response time? Please, what a joke, they couldn't stop a crime under their own noses. (Continued…)
Post a Comment