Pauley Pavilion to open as late-night study space during finals week
The Pauley Pavilion concourse will be open to students as a study space from Sunday night to Thursday of finals week. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By Melissa Morris
Dec. 4, 2017 12:47 a.m.
Students will be able to use Pauley Pavilion as a study space during finals week this quarter.
The Pauley Pavilion concourse will provide tables, chairs and refreshments from Sunday through Thursday on finals week. The space, which can accommodate about 450 students, will be open to all students from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., said Zahra Hajee, the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s Facilities commissioner.
Hajee said her office and UCLA Recreation decided to host the Pauley Pavilion study hall because she thinks the campus does not have enough study spaces to support its large student population. For example, one of the main reading rooms in Powell Library seats about 260 students, but about 30,000 undergraduate students attend UCLA.
Several students said they were excited Pauley was being opened up as a study space because they have had difficulty finding study spaces in other campus libraries.
Rosa Nguyen, a first-year biochemistry student, said she has had trouble trying to find a place to study during midterm weeks.
“It’s always a struggle to find an open spot,” Nguyen said. “It feels like a competition to swoop in and claim a spot before anyone else does.”
UCLA Residential Life has opened its dining halls as study spaces during finals week in the past, but Hajee said she thinks this may not serve students living in apartments.
“Pauley is closer to a lot of the apartment buildings, so for apartment students who might not make it up to the Hill, this is another space to study during late nights,” Hajee said.
Christina Chenault, a third-year psychology student, said living in an apartment makes it more difficult to find a spot to study. She added she would use the Pauley Pavilion study space.
“All the (coffee shops in Westwood) get filled up and it’s hard to find somewhere quiet, especially when all the libraries are packed,” Chenault said.
Hajee said she plans to help turn other available spaces, such as the John Wooden Center conference rooms, into study spaces in the future.
“There’s classrooms, recreation facilities (and) other buildings that are designated for a specific purpose, but then sit there in the dark with no one using them,” she said. “Next quarter, we are trying to find ways to open up those spaces to study.”
