Beginning today the Student Learning Center is open 24 hours every day – but only on a trial basis. Future hours will be determined by how many students use the SLC between now and finals week.

“Many students have requested something like this,” said Katy Bowers, president of the Student Government Association.

SGA made the proposal for the first time in October 2006 when they talked about extending library hours.

“We’ve been pushing for this with administration,” Bowers said. “It’s not a cheap thing to do, but we provided rationale. It’s been a long process, but I’m excited to see the importance of having the facility available.”

Bowers said SGA’s ideal is for the University to be a campus where students can interact and study 24 hours a day.

“There was no place to do that after 2 a.m.,” she said. “We found this a contradiction and wanted to change it.”

University administrators pulled custodial and security staff to cover the additional shifts for the trial basis. The SLC is usually open for 24 hours during finals, but the few extra days before that period begins will demonstrate to administrators what students want, she said.

“I urge students to use the facility now because it’s up to them to determine the future of the SLC hours,” she said.