ASUCSD Calls for Return of Geisel Library’s 24-Hour Weekday Hours

The Associated Students of UC San Diego (ASUCSD) has introduced a resolution urging the university to restore 24-hour weekday access to Geisel Library, arguing that the campus’s main study hub is essential to academic equity and student success. Sponsored by Campus-Wide Senator Kaleb Truchan and AS President William Simpson, the resolution has broad support among AS leadership, reflecting a growing urgency among students as enrollment rises and study spaces become increasingly strained.

Geisel Library is described as both a symbol and a core academic resource for UCSD. The resolution emphasizes its role as a safe, accessible, ADA-compliant environment that offers quiet study areas, essential accommodations, and staff support not consistently available in other campus spaces. As UCSD’s population surpasses 45,000 students—and is projected to reach 56,000 by 2040—student leaders argue that demand for centralized, comfortable, and reliable study locations is outpacing available capacity.

The resolution raises concerns about the university’s reliance on multi-occupancy housing, such as doubles, mini-doubles, and triples, which often leave students with little privacy and constant distraction. It also critiques administrative suggestions that other campus facilities could serve as substitutes for Geisel. Locations like Price Center, the resolution notes, were not designed for academic use and lack essential features such as quiet zones, accessibility accommodations, and proper study furniture. For commuter students especially, consistent late-night access to a centralized study space is seen as critical.

To measure student sentiment, ASUCSD conducted a survey that drew 1,130 responses. A striking 99.7 percent of participants favored restoring 24-hour weekday operations at Geisel. The resolution also cites research suggesting that having a 24-hour study space helps students feel a stronger sense of belonging and academic empowerment, even if they do not regularly use the library during the earliest hours of the morning.

Student leaders point to neighboring institutions as examples of what is possible. San Diego State University and UC Santa Barbara both reinstated late-night or 24-hour library access following student advocacy, despite facing similar budget pressures. UCSD, they argue, now lags behind comparable campuses in offering consistent after-hours study space.

The resolution concludes by formally calling on the University Library, the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, and other administrative bodies to prioritize funding, staffing, and operational planning needed to restore Geisel’s 24-hour weekday access. AS leaders maintain that doing so would reaffirm UCSD’s commitment to accessible and equitable education, acknowledging Geisel Library as the central academic resource best suited to meet the needs of the university’s diverse and growing student body.