MacKenzie Meadows | Columnist

The new hour change singles out non-business major students.

NIU is singling out non-business major students and leaving them without a late-night spot for studying. Rejecting all students who are not in the College of Business because of the property damage is ridiculous. College of Business students move furniture and don’t always follow the policies as well as the other students. Singling other majors out because of these issues will not fix the problem.

I am a journalism student, and because of this rule change, I have nowhere to study for finals, nor do I have a place to study or write into the late hours of the night. If NIU is going to close Barsema to other students, then another action must be taken such as opening the library and having later hours or opening another building. This rule change is outrageous and something needs to change.

Kristen Arms | Columnist

The new hour change is logical but unfortunate.

Since the library is not staffed and open 24 hours, students that wanted a productive work environment after-hours could go to Barsema for a great study location with plenty of space. While non-business students did enjoy this luxury when it was available, the reason that it is now off-limits after 10 p.m. is fair considering the incidences that led to the change.

If this new rule helps remove the need for NIU to replace things because of property damage, I think the change is a financially responsible decision. Even College of Business students will not be allowed to enter after 1 a.m.

Overall, this shouldn’t change much for too many people that actually want to study, so I do not see it as a huge issue.

Ian Tancun | Columnist

The new hour change is a bad idea.

NIU should not punish students for the foolish actions of a select few.

As a commuter student, I have no vested interest in whether Barsema Hall is available 24 hours. However, looking at this objectively as an outsider, I was confused upon hearing the details of this situation.

If a OneCard is needed to access the building after-hours and surveillance cameras have been installed, I don’t see a need to deny re-entry after 1 a.m.

If students are swiping in, NIU will know exactly who is in the building after-hours. Video footage will catch any misbehavior by immature students who have not yet learned to respect the property of others, a lesson most of us learned in elementary school.

Business majors, and others needing access to the building after-hours to do homework, should not have to suffer for bad decisions others have made.

I do most of my homework between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., and I know other students have late-night study sessions. NIU should not deny students access to any facilities that permit them to do so.

Faith Mellenthin | Columnist 

The new hour change is justified.

Barsema Hall should never have been open 24 hours a day for all students to begin with. It was very generous, but the College of Business is only required to assist its own students. A 24-hour study building should be designed to hold more students.

If no buildings on campus are open late, it may help to promote better time management for the student body. I used to be someone who would stay up rather late to work on assignments. This semester, I have been waking up early instead, and it has given me more energy and breaks to do in the afternoon what I would have done at 2 a.m.

If anybody living on campus needs a place to stay up late, every residence hall comes equipped with lounges and respective community areas.

I think the business students deserve the right to claim this space as their own.

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Read more about Barsema Hall’s hour change here.