Is the Arts Block overcrowded?

Cavehill Red

I would say so. Students Union believes so. Staff believe so.

However, on another thread, non-students are insisting on their right to enter the Arts Block without any legitimate cause or purpose for being there.

Are they correct in stating that it is a public space they are entitled to use as taxpayers?

Or should they go somewhere else to read where they are less likely to disrupt people's higher education?

And is this something college security should think about addressing?

kthnxbai

I just read through that other thread and it's completely ridiculous! You never did get a response to your suggestion of using the National Library...

I'd agree that the Arts block does get very busy. And it's particularly annoying, as there aren't a huge amount of places to go sit or eat lunch or read (if you don't want to go to the library) in college as it is.

I've always seen people who clearly aren't students in there, and never really thought too much about it.

Realistically, I think that there shouldn't be a restriction on the public being in the arts block, considering the fact that there's a coffee shop there, and you might have tourists taking a break there or whatever. If someone has come in and bought a cup of coffee, or has visited the old library or something, they shouldn't then be kicked out of the place and told no you can't sit here, there are students who need these seats.
That said, I think that this should only really apply to the first/second floors.

I think the posters in the other thread just didn't like being told that they shouldn't really be there, and have decided just to piss you off. They seemed to be a bit unreasonable about it.

As for having security check people's IDs, that really wouldn't be feasible. I've had my ID checked in college a good few times, but this was always at an off-peak time. So, usually late evening or something. I'm down the Ham end of college most of the time, and anytime I've been asked for ID is because I've been in a computer room, so I have no idea whether anyone gets asked for ID down the other end.
When the arts block is really busy, it would be hard to actually check who's a student and who isn't. Regardless, as far as I know, there is nothing that forbids the public from being there, so it would be unfair to ask anyone to leave. That said, I don't really think the college is a public space that is there for the use of tax-payers. People should be gracious enough that if they are sitting down reading, and someone who is clearly a student is wandering around looking for a place to sit or eat, they get up and give up their seat.

I think the real problem here is actually the fact that we have no real student centre. Everywhere gets really crowded at lunch time, and it's difficult to get a seat. There should be more facilities for students really...

Gae

I quite like the fact that Trinity has tourists and non-students wandering around the place and using some of the facilities. Makes the place feel a bit more lively, especially during off-peak times. If you've ever been in UCD during the summer you know how sterile a university campus can be.

The "I'm a taxpayer, I'm entitled" attitude in the other thread is pretty pathetic. Being a taxpayer means you're making your contribution now to pay for benefits you (and your kids and your community) may user now or in the future, or have used in the past. It doesn't entitle you to graze your sheep on public land.

That being said, if someone wants to sit in the Arts Block and read their book, then I don't care. I'm surprised anyone can read in such a noisy environment, I certainly can't.

It's a tricky one, I would see the campus as being public, since we are a tourist attraction as well as a college, and I quite like it being a place in Dublin for people to go rather than just a place to be educated.

But I think Cavehill Red went a bit far in that other thread, I mean I get where you were coming from but as you got more defensive you went a bit over the top.

Personally I would see the campus as being public but the buildings (except for the book of Kells etc.) as being private. That said, tourists looking around or people waiting for someone or anything like that would be stupid to sit outside when there's lovely warm seats inside. But to use the Arts block as your daily place to while away an hour (or more) is both a bit cheeky and quite inconvenient.

So long story short, the posters in the other forum are being silly to say it's suitable for everyday reading, but I would have no problem with the public entering the arts block for a little while or going to the café etc.

deconduo

Considering the college makes millions from allowing the public in, I see no problem. At least the Arts Block actually has some comfortable seating :P

AndrewJD

deconduo wrote: »

Considering the college makes millions from allowing the public in[to the Book of Kells and the Old Library], I see no problem. At least the Arts Block actually has some comfortable seating :P

You don't pay to get into one building and automatically gain use of various other services for students. If there were couches kicking around the old library fair enough, but that argument doesn't really stand when you'd have to enter a building specifically for students and staff and sit right in the middle of them. And that would be assuming that the people sitting there were the ones who had actually visited the tourist attractions in the first place (which I doubt). I don't use the Arts block, I don't really care, but paying for one thing doesn't grant you use of whatever else you fancy.

Darkglasses

I think it is way overcrowded. This year seems to be worse than ever, possibly because the berkeley library entrance was closed? That said, there's never been quite enough space to have a quiet lunch inside the arts block. But when I graduate, I imagine I'll quite probably still pop back in every now and then (toilet, alumni library card, say hi to old friends, etc.) so maybe I shouldn't judge other non-studets who do use the place.

nommm

I don't have a problem with people coming in. Anyway I don't think there's any feasible way to stop them from doing so. The upper floors of the Arts Block are never that busy in my experience but then again, I'm only there twice a week so I could be totally wrong.

Dante

The bigger issue is the constant bang of BO on the ground floor.

ApeXaviour

deconduo wrote: »

At least the Arts Block actually has some comfortable seating :P

Not aware of the Hamilton couches then? Or they don't live up to your standard?

nommm

ApeXaviour wrote: »

Not aware of the Hamilton couches then? Or they don't live up to your standard?

Where are the couches in the Hamilton? I can only think of those benches that break frequently.

Lawliet

ApeXaviour wrote: »

Not aware of the Hamilton couches then? Or they don't live up to your standard?

What Hamilton couches? Are you being sarcastic?

ApeXaviour

Lawliet wrote: »

What Hamilton couches? Are you being sarcastic?

The kind of spiral stairs between the lockers and Java city. Go up one flight and you can miss them, 5 maybe 6 couches. I spent waaay too much time there as an undergrad. That was 5 years ago granted but they were still there when I checked a month or so ago.

Anita Blow

ApeXaviour wrote: »

Not aware of the Hamilton couches then? Or they don't live up to your standard?

There's couches in the Hamilton?

ApeXaviour

Anita Blow wrote: »

There's couches in the Hamilton?

Yes

ApeXaviour wrote: »

The kind of spiral stairs between the lockers and Java city. Go up one flight and you can't miss them, 5 maybe 6 couches. I spent waaay too much time there as an undergrad. That was 5 years ago granted but they were still there when I checked a month or so ago.

Ravelleman

It's not the landings we should be worrying about. A lot of classrooms are overcrowded, especially for tutorials, and that has nothing to do with non-students sitting on the couches.

andrew

Surely the problem is too many students, not too many randomers? I bet there are a few randomers, but I doubt removing them all would make that big a difference. Not that it's feasible either.

languagenerd

Ravelleman wrote: »

It's not the landings we should be worrying about. A lot of classrooms are overcrowded, especially for tutorials, and that has nothing to do with non-students sitting on the couches.

Yep, they tend to stick Spanish classes in particular in those tiny rooms :P I dunno if it's just that Spanish is the last Arts subject alphabetically so it's the last one to be allocated rooms...

Room 3075 is the worst - same size as a standard 2-person office and I had 20-person classes in there last year! Some of my classmates have similar sized classes in there this year too.. That room should never have been listed as a classroom, it's a bloody fire hazard!

uvox

FYI: The Arts Block is in UCD. TCD Arts Building: http://www.tcd.ie/virtualtour/artsbuilding/

Gae

uvox wrote: »

FYI: The Arts Block is in UCD. TCD Arts Building: http://www.tcd.ie/virtualtour/artsbuilding/

In UCD it's called the Newman Building.

Lawliet

uvox wrote: »

FYI: The Arts Block is in UCD. TCD Arts Building: http://www.tcd.ie/virtualtour/artsbuilding/

You said that before, I don't get why you're so pedantic about this; even the TCD website commonly refers to it as the arts block.

languagenerd

uvox wrote: »

FYI: The Arts Block is in UCD. TCD Arts Building: http://www.tcd.ie/virtualtour/artsbuilding/

You logged in on Christmas Day to tell us that?!

It's commonly referred to as the Arts Block. Just like The Pavilion Bar is known as the Pav and Trinity Sports Centre is known as "the gym"...

Ravelleman

languagenerd wrote: »

Yep, they tend to stick Spanish classes in particular in those tiny rooms :P I dunno if it's just that Spanish is the last Arts subject alphabetically so it's the last one to be allocated rooms...

I know it all too well. 5086 is another killer for Spanish classes.