The case for space at MRU

With a new semester full of reading, quizzes and exams, students will likely be looking for out of the way places for a little peace and quiet to do some studying.

One problem is that with the influx of student numbers there might not be enough space to fulfill studying needs.

After complaints and suggestions from students to increase the amount of study spaces on campus, the Students’ Association of MRU came up with the Student Spaces Committee last winter.

“[It was] a really overt need,” said VP Academic Erin Delamont, who is part of the committee along with VP Student Life Eily Sweeney, and representatives from external relations and the library. The chair of the committee is the executive director of Student Affairs and Campus Life, Brian Fleming.

Delamont said it became very obvious that space was needed and when the Student Spaces Committee approached MRU administration; they didn’t know how much of a crunch for space there actually was.

Jody Paterson, a social work student, said it makes sense to have study spaces because people want to get as much studying done between classes as possible.

She recalled that when needing to meet with a group last semester for a project, having the space to do so was “half the battle” and that the limited study spaces in the EA and EB buildings were always full.

Two focus groups were created to discuss the different campus spaces and a report was written. Delamont said as of yet no new spaces have been created, but the committee will view spaces during its next meeting on Jan.18 to see what necessities are available, such as lighting, seating and electrical outlets.

With construction going on by the Herb ’n Market, study cubicles there were taken away and set up just across from the Iniskim Centre instead. Being in the middle of a hallway, the space isn’t the quietest of places to concentrate and Delamont said that the lightning isn’t ideal.

The committee designed a new web page that breaks down study spaces into the categories of quiet, cubicle and multipurpose. Delamont said during the Jan. 18 meeting, the committee will also be looking to add things like food availability to the website.

Students interested in viewing the sites for different study space availability can check out mtroyal.ca/studentspaces.