by Christine Hanson
the Carillon

Not many students are aware that the University closes officially at 11 pm and doesnıt open until 7am.

This doesnıt affect most students (who are home at that time), but for certain groups of students - it seems imperative that they stay late at night at school.

Ron Rockey, a 4th year Visual Arts student, found out the consequences of not having the appropriate ID.

³The security guards came here and hassled me in my studio, and I was booted out because I didnıt have that sticker, and Iım a senior art student.²

³Sometimes I would turn the lights off, close the door and hide in my studio, wait for them to check things out, and then Iıd just work late.²

Students staying after-hours has proven to be a little problematic for security, given the danger students can be in if left alone on campus, or left alone without security. This has caused some department heads to implement a system to classify students who need to stay after hours at the school.

Department heads issue stickers to students to put on their student identification cards. Then, if security visits them and asks them for what reason they are on campus they have to produce their ID cards with stickers.

Shaeya Krause, a 4th year Visual Arts student says the Visual Arts department is locked up after 11pm.

³You have to be in here [before 11pm] unless you have a key, and some directive study students [graduate studies] have keys.²

Teresa Bobyk, a secretary to the visual arts department says that the visual arts department gives stickers to only the visual arts students.

³Stickers are granted to visual arts students only, and they must be taking a visual arts class. That allows them to be in the studios after-hours. Security and custodial staff can ask them for their IDıs and if they donıt have a sticker, they can ask them to leave. ³

The visual arts department needs to be highly secured for a number of reasons. There is a lot of expensive equipment in there that isnıt easily operated, and can injure someone if used improperly. Also, a large amount of student work is situated in the department. For this reason, stickers that are issued out allow students to stay only in their designated department and no other.

The underlying reason for the program, says Bobyk, is to give a sense of security for everyone.

As for students who arenıt aware of the guidelines, and are here after 11pm, they will probably be asked for ID. If they donıt meet the criteria, theyıll be asked to leave.

Malinda Walker, Megan Wilkinson, and James Pullar had the lights turned off on them when they werein a physics study group in the Riddell Centre food court at 11:30 pm Monday night.

Walker says the reason they need to study late at night is because they are busy all day. They also feel that they should be able to use the buildings late because of the price they pay for tuition.

³Where are people supposed to get together (to study)? The library is closed, and if they donıt want us here they should designate an area - lots of us have jobs...We pay to use these buildings.²

Pat Patton, manager of security at the university clarifies the position of the security department.

³The university is technically closed at 11pm, for a number of reasons, the main reason being the security of the people. So, basically the university allows us the opportunity to ask anyone on campus for their identification, and make sure they have a purpose by utilising stickers allowing students to stay late on campus which can be obtained with various departments on an as-need basis.²

This policy has been in effect for a number of years, although many students are still unfamiliar with it.