In response to feedback from students, staff and faculty, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre is pleased to announce that much of the building will be open 24 hours a day for the upcoming final exam period, which runs from April 14 to April 30.
This marks the first time a UBC Vancouver learning facility will remain open on a 24-hour/7 day-a-week basis, an effort made possible through support of stakeholders in Land and Building Services, Campus Security and Classroom Services.
All study areas and classrooms with the exception of the Chapman Learning Commons, Ike’s Café and UBC Library divisions (Art, Architecture and Planning, Science and Engineering, Rare Books and Special Collections, University Archives, the circulation desk on level two) will remain open during extended hours.
The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre has become a valued, central point of interaction for our academic community. The security, safety and comfort of our building patrons and its assets are the Centre’s highest priority. Additional security staff will be on hand during this time to facilitate these needs. Patrons may be asked to produce their UBC staff or student cards, and are encouraged to make security or building personnel aware of any suspicious or inappropriate activity.
Formal exams will be scheduled in various classrooms during this period. To ensure exams commence promptly at scheduled times, patrons are requested to vacate classrooms in a timely manner. Please ensure furnishings are returned to standard seating configurations and that all food and beverage refuse is deposited in the garbage and recycling bins throughout the facility.
The success of this pilot will be due in large part to the students using the space. One of the significant challenges currently faced by the IKBLC management and staff team is the condition of the building. Since opening last April, scattered debris, movement of heavy furniture across and between floors, and damage to furniture and fixtures have all created a real operating and financial challenge. Various activities have been identified to try to solve these ongoing challenges, including seeking feedback and help from student societies. In addition, through campaigns and other approaches, management and staff will appeal to building patrons to keep the space in good shape by cleaning up after themselves and by considering how their use of the space and furniture may impact its availability for, and use, by future students.
It is hoped that the brief pilot will offer insights into how the model can be supported on an ongoing basis. Stakeholder meetings will be held throughout the coming months in an effort to evaluate the success of the pilot. Feedback from students, staff and faculty is welcome and can be directed to Sandra Singh, Director of the IKBLC, at sandra.singh@ubc.ca