The University has set up several quiet zone spaces on campus for students to attend online classes. 

The quiet zones will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for students who are on campus when their online classes are scheduled, according to the LSU Roadmap to Fall. These spaces are not general-purpose study areas. 

Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Support Services Matthew Lee said  University officials set up the quiet zones after recognizing the scheduling difficulties presented by the hybrid learning format. 

“It became clear that we would have situations where students would have schedules where they might have back-to-back classes where they might have one that required their attendance on campus and they might have another one that was gonna be held synchronously but completely online that will be adjacent to another class they just had,” Lee said. “So we wanted to give them a space where they could have access to a power outlet, where they would have access to wifi and where they would be in a clean and safe and well-lit environment that provided a socially-distanced place for them to plug in and log on to their online course.”

Mass communication sophomore Sebastian Canales said the quiet zones would help him balance his busy schedule. 

“I work on campus and have back-to-back Zoom and in-person classes, so I don’t always have time to go back to my apartment and then run back to my in-person class on time,” Canales said. “So having a location to attend my classes definitely helps reduce that anxiety.”

There are 11 spaces spread throughout campus at the following locations:

• Allen 131 (20 spaces)
• Coates 130 (20 spaces)
• Coates 234 (20 spaces)
• Electrical Engineering 145 (15 spaces)
• Lockett 135 (15 spaces)
• Tureaud 215 (20 spaces)
• Williams 210 (25 spaces)
• Library Study Carrels on 2nd and 4th floors (100 spaces total)
• LSU Library 232 (15 spaces)
• Union Quiet Zone (20 spaces)
• Union Evangeline (12 spaces)
• Barnes and Noble Event Room (25 spaces) - Available beginning Sept. 3

“We didn’t really have a way to estimate how many students would need access to this kind of thing, so we basically identified a variety of spots around campus,” Lee said. 

Political science freshman Chloe Davila said she plans to use the quiet spaces throughout the semester. 

“I plan on using the quiet zones within my dorm complex the most since both my roommate and I have online classes,” Davila said. “I believe it’ll give us both a little more privacy during virtual meeting classes, as well as allow for better concentration.” 

On Twitter, some people criticized the University’s decision to set up the zones on campus for online classes as counterintuitive. @Ole_Garc and @valleyshook shared their opinions on the quiet zones.

Lee said there were safety precautions in place for the quiet zones. 

“There are signs up in each one that are clearly marked that indicate that if you are in that area you should be wearing a mask, you should sanitize your space–they have wipes available, and they have hand sanitizer available, and then they are also at limited capacity,” Lee said. “We understand that not everybody may be comfortable using these kinds of spaces, but we are trying to make them available and trying to make them as clean and as safe as we can for students.”

Canales said the safety of the spaces also depends on students’ compliance with the safety guidelines outlined by health officials. 

“I think as long as LSU continues to limit the amount of students allowed in one quiet zone then this will make it a safe place to work for all of our students,” Canales said. “Also, students need to follow the CDC guidelines such as social distancing and mask mandates around campus in order to allow these quiet spaces to continue being safe spaces.”