2008 Woodie Awards
Univ. to close Main Library for home games
BRIAN MINK
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
The University plans to close the Main Library on home football Saturdays next fall to prevent damage to the facility.
Unruly intoxicated fans often trash the building's bathrooms, leave cups lying around and are rude to library staff, Thomas Artelt, chair of University Council's University Libraries Committee, said Thursday.
Artelt announced the change in the Executive Committee meeting, and said the library is expected to open two hours earlier on all Sundays in the fall to make up for Saturday's closure. The new hours now will be from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
"If you look at the pictures [of the library after home games], some of them are almost unbelievable," Provost Arnett Mace said.
Artelt said the committee studied other Southeastern Conference schools to see how they handle gameday traffic in their libraries.
"Because of our library's close proximity to Sanford Stadium, our situation is rather unique," he said.
There are six home football games next year, beginning with one on Aug. 30. Artelt said the Science Library and the Student Learning Center's library facilities will stay open on football Saturdays because they do not encounter as much damage each week as the Main Library does.
In other business, William Vencill, chair of the Executive Committee, said the University soon will implement a new core curriculum.
The incoming freshmen will be the first class to progress all the way through their college careers with the new curriculum, he said.
"There's been tremendous efforts this year to get the new general education curriculum approved," Vencill said.
He said some faculty have been concerned with a University System of Georgia proposal that would adopt new statewide core curriculum requirements.
Vencill said two possible models that a state steering committee reviewed were released prematurely and caused misunderstanding among faculty at several colleges and universities.
"Those models were sent out without very much information about what they were or how they would be implemented," Vencill said.
Unruly intoxicated fans often trash the building's bathrooms, leave cups lying around and are rude to library staff, Thomas Artelt, chair of University Council's University Libraries Committee, said Thursday.
Artelt announced the change in the Executive Committee meeting, and said the library is expected to open two hours earlier on all Sundays in the fall to make up for Saturday's closure. The new hours now will be from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
"If you look at the pictures [of the library after home games], some of them are almost unbelievable," Provost Arnett Mace said.
Artelt said the committee studied other Southeastern Conference schools to see how they handle gameday traffic in their libraries.
"Because of our library's close proximity to Sanford Stadium, our situation is rather unique," he said.
There are six home football games next year, beginning with one on Aug. 30. Artelt said the Science Library and the Student Learning Center's library facilities will stay open on football Saturdays because they do not encounter as much damage each week as the Main Library does.
In other business, William Vencill, chair of the Executive Committee, said the University soon will implement a new core curriculum.
The incoming freshmen will be the first class to progress all the way through their college careers with the new curriculum, he said.
"There's been tremendous efforts this year to get the new general education curriculum approved," Vencill said.
He said some faculty have been concerned with a University System of Georgia proposal that would adopt new statewide core curriculum requirements.
Vencill said two possible models that a state steering committee reviewed were released prematurely and caused misunderstanding among faculty at several colleges and universities.
"Those models were sent out without very much information about what they were or how they would be implemented," Vencill said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 34
Winfield J. Abbe
posted 4/11/08 @ 5:37 AM EST
This is another example of how the main function of this "university" is corrupted by professional football which has nothing to do with "higher" education and the search for knowledge, truth and understanding. (Continued…)
GET A LIFE
posted 4/11/08 @ 6:18 AM EST
Abbe get a life!
DawgBrain
posted 4/11/08 @ 8:26 AM EST
What an indictment on this University. Unruly Football Fans Rule! Perhaps the Athletic Association could pay for extra security guards at the Library. (Continued…)
North Campus Tailgater
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:02 AM EST
I'm curious as to where the University expects tailgaters to use the restroom. All of the other North campus buildings are closed to the public, and the lines for the porta potties frequently exceed a twenty minute wait. (Continued…)
Retarded
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:24 AM EST
This is silly. Tailgating at UGA is no worse than at any other institution in the SEC. For those of us who tailgated at the UGA-Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, we got to see how easy it is for a capable administration to manage facilities. (Continued…)
Annie
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:33 AM EST
I guess they have to do what they have to do. I bet the people who trash the bathrooms aren't even students or alum, just fans. I lived in Lipscomb freshman year and fans would pee in the bushes, literally onto the building, underneath peoples' windows. (Continued…)
uganathan@gmail.com
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:40 AM EST
I'm troubled that I won't be able to use the library on Saturdays. Saturday is often the best day to get hours of uninterrupted studying done. Now, the University takes that away?
Michael Covington
posted 4/11/08 @ 10:55 AM EST
Bad move, bad move! Besides sending the wrong message, closing the library is a real disservice to students who actually have papers due and want to work on them. (Continued…)
Sam
posted 4/11/08 @ 11:55 AM EST
I feel sorry for the Main Library. I wouldn't want desperate-to-pee drunken fans storming in demanding nice restrooms, and leaving the place trashed. Tailgaters can definitely ruin many places, even the parking lots. (Continued…)
Kevin Cotham
posted 4/11/08 @ 1:31 PM EST
Once again, football trumps academics. Instead of closing the library, how about this, close the stadium? Football is not the reason for this University. (Continued…)
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