The Keep Swem Open During Finals Act passed with enthusiasm from most senators during Tuesday’s Student Assembly senate session.
The bill, inspired by College of William and Mary student Daisy Weill ’10, allocates a little more than $2,600 to keep Earl Gregg Swem Library open 24 hours per day during the winter exam period.
“There was no opposition to the bill in the Student Assembly,” bill sponsor and Sen. Erik Houser ’10 said in an e-mail. “It passed unanimously in both committee and the full senate, and everyone was very supportive of the idea.”
There was hope that the bill could pass with minimal funding from the SA. At Tuesday’s meeting, the costs of extra security staff and additional housekeeping hours were determined.
“This all came together, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Swem’s staff,” Houser said. “Twenty-nine employees volunteered to help out, and their hours were moved around to cover the night shifts but still leave them at or under 40 hours per week.”
According to the library website, the extended hours are due to both funding provided by the SA and an outpouring of Swem volunteers.
“Whether this can happen again partially depends on how many students use it this semester,” Houser said.
“The Swem employee on duty will be counting to see how many students are in the library at all times. If it turns out that not very many students are taking advantage of the service, it may not continue in the future.
I’m confident, though, that this will become a permanent fixture at the College.”
The library’s hours will be extended Dec. 6-7, 9-10, and 13-16.
“The Facebook event was created immediately after the bill passed the senate,” Houser, who created the Facebook event with almost 1,670 members in attendence, said. “It is a tool to publicize the effort. I estimate that it has reached at least 3,600 students at this point. Hopefully more will find out through word of mouth.”
