The UNAUTHORIZED blogger collective for the University of Colorado Law School.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Thank you...
...to the students responsible for getting the administration to take action on the undesirables. The new policies kick in tomorrow, apparently, and for that I am grateful. Special props to Marnie, Justin, and Ryan.
For the first time this year, I feel normal in the new building. I go into the library and I see people I recognize. I can find a seat. Its quiet. I don't fret over telling someone that I can hear them talking in their study room. I feel like (some of) the administration cares.
Now, I just need to work up the motivation to actually study.
I don't know, this plan seems weird. First off - are we going to have some kind of hall monitor watching to see if undergrads are wandering into the sacred lower levels after the witching hour? And if so, how are they going to identify said undergrads? Will we all have to scan our ID's to gain access? Obviously not, but my point is that this policy is only as good as the enforcement, and I don't see a legitimate way to enforce it. And, if I were an undergrad and a pretentious law student came up to me and threatened to kick me out, I'd either ignore him/her, or move to a spot outside of their vision.
Also, if I were to want to study in the library after 6, would I have to limit myself to the study of the law only? After all, I'm a joint degree student - if I'm studying my other subject in the library after 6, should I be kicked out? Or do I get a pass since I at least have an affiliation with the school? I guess since I pay full law school tuition, I'm probably grandfathered in.
And while we're on the topic, what about the business students? The e-mail we received announcing the changes stated that the bottom two floors are for "Law Students only." Seems to me that since the business students are based in our building this year, they should be included (and I'm sure they are - this strikes me as a misstatement).
I don't know - for someone that doesn't care about this issue too much I'm writing an awful lot. I guess I'm glad that those of you who care passionately about this picked up a victory and feel better about the administration because they took action.
1. Notwithstanding the email, the signs in the library say only "graduate students" can use the 1st floor and basement.
2. Library assistants are supposed to go throughout the library at 6 p.m. and tell undergrads to move upstairs.
3. Its easy to tell whether someone's an undergrad: they have a calculator, a Biology or some other book with lots of pictures.
4. If an undergrad sneaks in, and is bothering a grad student, its easy for them to point to one of the 100 signs throughout the library and say, "See yah."
Well, I guess the newest e-mail answered one of my questions - we're deputizing law students as "student security volunteers." This sounds whole thing is beginning to look like a bad Saturday Night Live sketch.
As for alternatives, how about restricting the use of the study rooms to graduate students only, and using our special "security volunteers" to police noisemaking?
Oh, and what's with the building going into full-on lock-down mode after 5:00? Locking the stairwells? What, are we in a war zone? Is there actually some reason to do this?
The only issue I have, as JST mentions, is the CRAZY locking of the Third floor stairwell doors. Coming to the Journal Office, also well marked with LAW STUDENTS ONLY, I went to third floor (hiking up the stairs like a good person) to find the door locked. It was strange.
what good does the new policy do if there is no-one to enforce it? I just spent 10 minutes looking for a place to study on the first floor of the library. I guess I'm to chicken to tell any of the undergrads to actually move out - but deep inside I'm fuming!
You mean the "student security volunteers" aren't immediately solving the problem? The signs posted at the doors (and don't they just look so pretty!) aren't acting as sigyls warding off the evil undergraduates? The locked stairwells aren't preventing their entrance? Stunning - absolutely stunning.
Perhaps we should create an added layer of protection - how about making "Student Security Volunteering" a class. One of the research librarians can teach it. The curve will be set at the average number of undergrads terrorized. I'm sure that would solve all of our problems.
Pedsking: I highly recommend booting an undergrad from the library--the power rush is exhilarating. If you're too nervous, however, I'd go alert the library staff. It is, after all, what they get paid for.
haha - might seem that way, hakim, but actually no. I just think the actions that have been taken regarding the "library situation" are somewhat silly, and am doing my best to point that out. I'm actually a happy person . . . really . . .
jst, there is going to be a security guard as of Wednesday night to make rounds at 6pm to kick out undergrads. There are also plans to make the library 'law student' only a week earlier than normal... so that should help.
Pedsking, not to be too critical, but you're going to be a lawyer for godsakes... get adversarial and relish the power!
15 comments:
Took long enough...
I'm so scared of those undergrads. They can really be scary!
Those Uggs and 'Pink' sweatpants uniforms are intimidating!
For the first time this year, I feel normal in the new building. I go into the library and I see people I recognize. I can find a seat. Its quiet. I don't fret over telling someone that I can hear them talking in their study room. I feel like (some of) the administration cares.
Now, I just need to work up the motivation to actually study.
I don't know, this plan seems weird. First off - are we going to have some kind of hall monitor watching to see if undergrads are wandering into the sacred lower levels after the witching hour? And if so, how are they going to identify said undergrads? Will we all have to scan our ID's to gain access? Obviously not, but my point is that this policy is only as good as the enforcement, and I don't see a legitimate way to enforce it. And, if I were an undergrad and a pretentious law student came up to me and threatened to kick me out, I'd either ignore him/her, or move to a spot outside of their vision.
Also, if I were to want to study in the library after 6, would I have to limit myself to the study of the law only? After all, I'm a joint degree student - if I'm studying my other subject in the library after 6, should I be kicked out? Or do I get a pass since I at least have an affiliation with the school? I guess since I pay full law school tuition, I'm probably grandfathered in.
And while we're on the topic, what about the business students? The e-mail we received announcing the changes stated that the bottom two floors are for "Law Students only." Seems to me that since the business students are based in our building this year, they should be included (and I'm sure they are - this strikes me as a misstatement).
I don't know - for someone that doesn't care about this issue too much I'm writing an awful lot. I guess I'm glad that those of you who care passionately about this picked up a victory and feel better about the administration because they took action.
1. Notwithstanding the email, the signs in the library say only "graduate students" can use the 1st floor and basement.
2. Library assistants are supposed to go throughout the library at 6 p.m. and tell undergrads to move upstairs.
3. Its easy to tell whether someone's an undergrad: they have a calculator, a Biology or some other book with lots of pictures.
4. If an undergrad sneaks in, and is bothering a grad student, its easy for them to point to one of the 100 signs throughout the library and say, "See yah."
5. What's the alternative?
Well, I guess the newest e-mail answered one of my questions - we're deputizing law students as "student security volunteers." This sounds whole thing is beginning to look like a bad Saturday Night Live sketch.
As for alternatives, how about restricting the use of the study rooms to graduate students only, and using our special "security volunteers" to police noisemaking?
Oh, and what's with the building going into full-on lock-down mode after 5:00? Locking the stairwells? What, are we in a war zone? Is there actually some reason to do this?
The only issue I have, as JST mentions, is the CRAZY locking of the Third floor stairwell doors. Coming to the Journal Office, also well marked with LAW STUDENTS ONLY, I went to third floor (hiking up the stairs like a good person) to find the door locked. It was strange.
The locking of the stairwells is annoying. I have no idea why they did that.
what good does the new policy do if there is no-one to enforce it? I just spent 10 minutes looking for a place to study on the first floor of the library. I guess I'm to chicken to tell any of the undergrads to actually move out - but deep inside I'm fuming!
You mean the "student security volunteers" aren't immediately solving the problem? The signs posted at the doors (and don't they just look so pretty!) aren't acting as sigyls warding off the evil undergraduates? The locked stairwells aren't preventing their entrance? Stunning - absolutely stunning.
Perhaps we should create an added layer of protection - how about making "Student Security Volunteering" a class. One of the research librarians can teach it. The curve will be set at the average number of undergrads terrorized. I'm sure that would solve all of our problems.
Pedsking: I highly recommend booting an undergrad from the library--the power rush is exhilarating. If you're too nervous, however, I'd go alert the library staff. It is, after all, what they get paid for.
JST: that time of the semester?
haha - might seem that way, hakim, but actually no. I just think the actions that have been taken regarding the "library situation" are somewhat silly, and am doing my best to point that out. I'm actually a happy person . . . really . . .
jst, there is going to be a security guard as of Wednesday night to make rounds at 6pm to kick out undergrads. There are also plans to make the library 'law student' only a week earlier than normal... so that should help.
Pedsking, not to be too critical, but you're going to be a lawyer for godsakes... get adversarial and relish the power!
It just takes cooperation, consideration, and communication ... something all good lawyers learn sooner or later.
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