Petitions for a nap space in Harvard Yard, extended dining hall hours, and weekend brain break are all slated to receive official responses from Dean of Harvard College Evelynn M. Hammonds, likely by the end of the semester.
The student-initiated petitions were submitted to Hammonds as a part of the “We the Crimson” initiative, started by the Undergraduate Council last November. The initiative features an online portal that students can access to submit petitions and vote for other submitted petitions. At the end of each month, the top three petitions are submitted to the administration for an official response.
One of the petitions, started by Yuqi Hou ’15, proposes the creation of a space in Harvard Yard for students to take naps.
“People don’t realize how important it is to take a nap,” Hou said. “It improves your GPA because you’re actually more focused.”
Hou first thought of the idea in December. After meeting with the Harvard Center for Wellness and Interim Associate Dean of Student Life David R. Friedrich, Hou turned to “We the Crimson” to gain student support for her idea.
Hou complemented the petition, which received 184 votes, with an online survey.
Of the 432 students from across the University who responded, only 21 percent felt well-rested on a typical day. Almost 60 percent of those surveyed were in favor of a designated nap room in the Yard.
However, some students who were supportive of the petition also voiced concerns.
Harry W. Hild ’16, supporter of the idea, pointed out that 96 students ranked cleanliness of the nap cushions as the most important factor.
“I’m not sure I’d want to hop on someone else’s beanbag after they’ve used it,” he said.
Two other petitions from January were submitted to the Dean for response.
One petition, which received 238 votes as of Sunday, asks for at least one dining hall to offer service until midnight.
“I’m kind of a night person and often times a 7 p.m. closing time for dinner is pretty early,” said Michael F. Trang ’14, who started the petition.
The other petition asks for the brain break service to include the weekend.
As a Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisor, Margaret E. Crane ’14, who proposed the petition, questioned why brain break isn’t offered on weekend nights.
Read more in News
Sunstein Named University ProfessorRecommended Articles
-
Students and Faculty Fight Nuclear TestsIn the spring of 1960, 1,359 members of the Harvard faculty signed a petition encouraging the Eisenhower administration to consider ...
-
Dining Halls Will Remain Open for Columbus DayAccording to an e-mail sent by House administrators today, all 13 dining halls, including Dudley House, will remain open over Columbus Day weekend.
-
Faculty Members Sign Public Letter Urging President Faust to Open Gates to the YardOccupy Harvard is gaining support among faculty members as the movement enters its third week.
-
University Library Workers Protest LayoffsSince Harvard University Library announced last week that its upcoming reorganization would include downsizing staff, workers have circulated several petitions against the layoffs and picketed on Wednesday outside of a regularly scheduled meeting for library staff members.
-
UC Expels Two MembersThe Undergraduate Council announced that it will hold special elections after it expelled two members due to unexcused absences.
-
UC Votes to Support Affirmative ConsentThe Undergraduate Council voted Sunday night to support the adoption of a College-wide affirmative consent policy, just one week before students are set to cast ballots on the very same issue.