The University of Calgary Provost and vice-president academic Dru Marshall attended the Student Legislative Council on Nov. 8 to address concerns over study space.
“I’m very impressed with the students at the University of Calgary,” said Marshall regarding their engagement with the issue. “I’d really like to understand the issue better.”
She was looking for feedback from students regarding the root of the problem and ways to fix the study space issue.
Problems that were raised included quiet study space, appropriate use of workrooms, enforcement of study space, computers in quiet space, and communication between administration and students.
A member of the gallery suggested that perhaps senior students were unaware that MacKimmie Tower would be closing when the Taylor Family Digital Library opened, expecting there would be two libraries.
The electrical and mechanical systems in MacKimmie Library are getting to the end of their life and need to be replaced, and the university is waiting for money to repurpose the building.
Marshall asked why some of the spaces currently available on campus are not being used. She would look at opening a few more floors of MacKimmie, if there was a clear need and a guarantee the spaces would be used.
“I feel we have found some good solutions,” said Students’ Union president Dylan Jones regarding the collaborative action that has been taken to address students’ concerns, though he is open to hearing more from students to address these concerns, especially heading into the December exam period.
A protest to re-open the MacKimmie Library will be held Nov. 11.