In early Fall 2024, UC San Diego altered the operating hours of Geisel Library: the primary on-campus space that gives students a sanctuary to engage in academic endeavors such as effectively studying for exams, collaborating on projects in an academic environment, and accessing tutoring resources. Many students have pointed to the new operating hours of Geisel as an opportunity to highlight the UCSD’s cheap tactic to save money and demand budgetary reform, a valid take, but the immediate concern faced by low-income and commuting students must be addressed. 

For one, low-income students are disproportionately affected by these new hours. Geisel provides access to computers and free, reliable internet — two essential services for ensuring student success. Low-income individuals frequently lack the financial resources to purchase their own devices; if a student does not have their own device to complete assignments or study comfortably, spaces like Geisel that once offered 24-hour access to such vital resources in a quiet environment are a necessity to ensure their success. 

Of course, there are alternative 24-hour spots on campus like Price Center that offer similar resources. Some might question how the university is tolling marginalized students as a justification for UCSD slashing Geisel’s hours. However, Price Center is not exactly an academic space. Many have called the location unbearably loud and consider it more of a “hangout spot” over a “study spot,” underscoring Geisel as a staple for all academic endeavors. 

Considering there’s an over 12-hour window for students to access the library’s resources, some might also question whether there is an adequate amount of time available for students. However, this logic fails to consider the many students who work exhausting minimum wage jobs during the day to sustain themselves. UCSD alone employs over 6,000 students.

I’m not even a low-income student and, I, too, work long hours daily at a minimum wage job to maintain financial autonomy. After my long 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shift, a mere five-hour window to complete assignments and study for exams is not nearly long enough. Not to mention, the physical and mental exhaustion from being on my feet all day is only exacerbated by the pressure of knowing I have to speed through my school work in the short hours Geisel is still open.

Such pressure is not only felt by the low-income student population. Commuter students were  also heavily reliant on Geisel’s previously student-friendly hours before the early 6 p.m. closure on Fridays. Now, with a smaller window for commuters to access the library and its resources, a significant amount of planning is required to find times to visit that work with the new hours. With ever-changing traffic conditions and the housing crisis, the weight of adding another consideration onto students is blatantly unfair. Many commuters are now required to consider commute time along with parking availability and personal duties such as work or family responsibilities. 

Geisel’s restrictive hours have made it evident that UCSD refuses to adequately look out for the mental well-being of its student body. Without Geisel’s student-friendly hours, the stress of when, where, and even if a student can study — which should be their main focus — grows exponentially. With the already rigorous nature of UCSD academics, such stress should not be imposed by the very institution that claims to support its students. 

If UCSD genuinely cares about students’ livelihoods and actually wants to actively rectify the harm they’ve caused, administrators should listen to students’ pleas to reinstate Geisel’s previous operating hours.