The Triangle

Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Kara Khan

The third floor of Hagerty library will be restricted to Law School students until Feb. 20 in order to give students adequate places to study during the Law School's final exam period, according to Peter Egler, interim director of the Earle Mack School of Law Legal Research Center.

Undergraduate students have felt a shortage of study space due to the exclusive access to the third floor of Hagerty. According to Jim Breen, the academics chair for the USGA, the closure of Hagerty has been a major concern among the undergraduate student body and the topic was reviewed by the USGA and University administration.

Egler said due to the relative importance of final exams to the law students' grades, and the limited study space available to University students, the third floor of Hagerty Library would be closed during the Law School's final exam period, which is not synchronized with the general University term.

"The difference between the Law School terms and the general University schedule is beneficial since it allows staggered final exam periods. So when the Law School has finals, we can reserve the library specifically for them. And, the opposite occurs during the University's exam periods," Egler said.

According to Egler, this difference in the schedules allows the most efficient use of library study space.

"The closure of the third floor Hagerty reflects the unique situation at Drexel University, where the library is shared between the Law school and the general university. As a result, we have to make the best use of the premium of space available to us," Egler said.

According to Steven Thorpe, the head of Public Services at Drexel, the library will be completely available to all Drexel students after the Law School exams end. The only part of the library that is always restricted to law students is the "law annex."

"After the renovation of Hagerty, we saw very high use of the library and law students started to complain that they didn't have a place to study. After meeting with the provost, it was decided that the part of the library originally part of the Law building, the annex, would be reserved only for Law students," Thorpe said. According to Thorpe, the rest of Hagerty will also be renovated soon in order to provide students better places to study.

According to Jan Biros, the vice provost for Budget, Planning, and Administration, the University administration recognizes the "severe demand" for quality study space and is actively looking for campus locations that can be converted to study space.

"[We have] invited the colleges to suggest other spaces that may be under utilized and appropriate for renovation and transformation into valuable study areas," Biros said.

Currently, the basement of Matheson and parts of the Academic Building are being renovated to become study and conversation areas that will be pleasant and conducive to studying, according to Biros.

The Matheson basement should be completed for student use during spring term while the Academic Building renovation will begin during summer term.

"Robert Francis, vice president of Facilities Management, is very committed to expanding study space on campus … [and will be] the one who will make it all happen," Biros said.

According to Biros, students preparing for exams can now utilize the lobby of Bossone as well as empty classrooms and a schedule will be posted on the provost's web site, in addition to traditional study spaces such as the library.

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