University Administration addressed Student Council at their Tuesday night meeting about student concerns regarding the planned renovations for the second floor of Clemons Library.
The University currently plans to change this study area into a space for advising during the day and group study at night, said Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Maurie McInnis.
“What I want to do is tell you what the current plans are, as well as solicit your ideas for help moving forward,” McInnis said. “The project is not set in stone, but there is a schematic design.”
Survey feedback indicates students are dissatisfied with the University’s advising system, McInnis said. The advising floor could be a place for students to get started and become more comfortable with the advising process, making the advising system more cohesive overall.
“For most of the business day, [second floor Clemons] is a pretty underutilized space,” McInnis said. “We thought it’s a space that could be better utilized for total advising.”
The advising space will provide support for all aspects of student life, not just academic advising, McInnis said. Advising rooms will provides spaces for confidential sessions and will be easily compatible for group study at night.
“The concern is that there’s going to be a huge loss of study space in Clem 2, and the truth is there’s not due to the flexibility of the design, McInnis said.
The renovations would begin this January and last until the following January, during which time McInnis said there would be a loss of study space due to closure. The Academic Affairs Office is currently discussing possibilities for creating new study spaces elsewhere on Grounds during the interim to make up for some of this loss.
Students suggested expanding the hours of Alderman Library or the Brown Science and Engineering Library to alleviate some of the concerns.
Student Council also addressed several community concerns, including the need for a more gender-inclusive application process, improved course registration for transfer students and more consistent information about advising and other academic resources for first-year students.
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