Intersection at Frey Road and Campus Loop Road, taken at night using long exposure. September 17th, 2024. Photo Credit: Tye Brown/The Sentinel
For a lot of students at Kennesaw State University, the buildings on campus aren’t open nearly long enough to support their busy lifestyles. Most college students’ schedules do not fit neatly into the university’s operating hours, making it more difficult for students to study, eat or take up space on campus at times that work best for them.
In between work, commuting long hours and family responsibilities, the only time some students get to use campus facilities is in the late evening or early morning.
However, KSU’s central spaces close early.
The Sturgis Library closes at 11pm on weekdays and even earlier on weekends. The student center shuts down around 10pm, which cuts off access to lounge areas, meeting rooms and food options. The gym and other facilities are often closed at times that are inconvenient for athletes or students with night jobs.
Imagine the possibilities that would open for students if the library stayed open until midnight or the student center offered late-night study rooms and kept food vendors available past 10pm. These extended hours would give commuter and resident students alike more flexibility and help reduce the stress of racing against the clock.
The benefits of longer hours go beyond the convenience.
Extending campus hours would strengthen the university’s sense of community. One of the best parts of being at a large university is the energy of campus life, such as students working late together, study group meetings and organizations planning events.
Right now, much of that community energy is cut short by closing times. Later hours would allow students to feel more at home on campus instead of being rushed out the door.
Another overlooked factor is safety.
If campus buildings close early, some students are pushed off campus into coffee shops, fast food restaurants or other public spaces that may not be as safe or well-lit.
Keeping our own facilities open later provides a secure environment where students can study and collaborate without worrying about being off campus late at night.
At other local universities, such as Georgia Tech, the library is open 24/7 except during semester breaks. The University of Georgia extends its library hours past midnight during the semester, and Georgia State University keeps several student spaces accessible late into the night. These schools understand flexible college hours as a necessity for today’s college students.
KSU is Georgia’s third largest university and should not be lagging behind.
KSU is a university full of ambitious students that deserve a campus that works as hard as they do. Extending campus hours would show that students at KSU are being put first.
