Starting in the beginning of the 2007 fall semester, North Campus Residence Hall’s desk hours were reduced due to lack of need by the Residence Life staff. The hours are now 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.”We believe that we need to prepare you for adulthood,” Director of Residence Life, Marion McKinney said. “Taking care of you by monitoring your student ID is not only disrespectful, but not necessary because you are adults now. College is only four years, and then you will be out on your own.”
In previous years, the desk assistants would collect the IDs of the students signing in overnight guests, and then open the desk at 7:30 a.m. to distribute the IDs.
However, after conducting research for roughly a year, they discovered that students do not get up at 7:30 a.m. to collect their IDs, proving that it was a waste of time to open the desks at 7:30 a.m.
“In the Ram’s Eye View it states that students are to carry their IDs on them at all times. We are going against our own rules by taking them away from you,” McKinney said.
The new procedure is that students sign in overnight guests, but keep their IDs for safety purposes. The desk no longer keeps them, because the Residence Life staff sees no reason to hold them.
The Residence Life staff does not plan on changing it because it is more efficient for everybody McKinney said. Students are not awake at 7:30 a.m., and therefore, it is a waste of time and money to continue to offer services that early.
“Our Resident Directors have college degrees to help you,” McKinney said. “That is their job.”
McKinney said to the students that the security guard knows how to call a Resident Assistant or Resident Director in case of an emergency.
“Plan accordingly,” McKinney said. “Ten hours at the desk a day is more than enough time to get your mail and packages, ask questions or to check out games.”
As for other responses, Public Safety is pleased that students are now carrying their IDs on them at all times and they will be easily identified.
However, McKinney did not make the choice alone. Peter C. Galloway, director of Housing Services, assisted her in the decision.
“It wasn’t just me making the decision, the entire staff voted on it in spring of 2007,” McKinney said.
McKinney assures the students that they are still receiving the same services they did before, but at a better convenience for everybody.
Some students suggest that the money that was originally used for the additional hours will be used to build the new dormitory building, but McKinney said that is not the case.
“The money we are saving here is not even close to what it will cost to build the new building,” McKinney said. “Our sole purpose with cutting the desk assistant hours is to simply utilize the resources we have and improve them for the students.”
By modifying the desk assistant hours, McKinney said that it can improve the atmosphere for the students of North Campus residence halls and provide hours that are convenient to the residing students of the university.
Jenn Halligan is a first-year student majoring in Secondary English Education. She can be reached at JH653435@wcupa.edu.