UConn Student Union extends its hours 

The Union is now open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Friday, 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. This schedule is similar to previous years, according to Isaac Barber, director of the Student Union and Event Services.  

Before the 2024-2025 academic year, the Union was open 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. However, due to staffing challenges, the hours were temporarily adjusted during the Fall 2024 semester to close earlier on most days. In the fall semester, the Union was open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday through Thursday and from 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays. 

The changes were due to a custodial staffing shortage, according to Barber.  

“We needed to change our custodial schedule so we could provide uninterrupted operational support for the facility and for events scheduled in the facility,” said Barber in a written statement. “We were also in the middle of conducting a review of custodial services and staffing options, and we were working to resolve the staffing vacancies prior to the Spring 2025 semester.” 

By the end of the Fall 2024 semester, the Union confirmed its custodial plan and began to hire more custodians. These changes allowed the Union to return to a schedule similar to its old hours.  

The different hours last semester affected some of the organizations that reside in the Union, however, Barber stated that the Union was in constant communication with them. 

UCTV, UConn’s television station, was one of these organizations. 

Sophia Birnbaum, a sixth-semester journalism major and chief human resources officer of UCTV, stated that students had previously taken advantage of the late closing of the Union to stay late and edit on the Adobe Premiere software on UCTV computers.  

“For some of our members, they have a lot to get done, and if they don’t have the software they need, it’s not available to them outside of the studio, and they can’t work on those projects late,” said Birnbaum. 

Last semester, many students at UCTV were complaining about the shorter hours, according to Birnbaum, and the department heads had to keep reminding members that they closed at a certain time. 

Birnbaum said she believes the new hours will truly help students, as they can stay later to work on their assignments.  

“Having that extra time allotted to be able to edit, just hang out in there and be productive, is, I think, definitely going to increase the overall productivity,” said Birnbaum.  

WHUS, UConn’s radio station, was another organization impacted by the time change last semester.  

Barber stated the hours affected WHUS’s broadcast, but they were able to broadcast remotely when needed. 

Katie Servas, a fourth-semester journalism and communications major and the news director of WHUS, stated that the earlier closing time of the Union affected members’ access to the studio. 

“There were many basketball games last semester that started later into the night and there were instances where our broadcasters were unable to bring their equipment back to the station because the union had already closed,” said Servas. “It also affected our broadcast schedule, and we were unable to grant DJ’s late night shows because of the change in hours.” 

WHUS is enjoying the new hours, according to Servas. She stated that it allows them to execute their projects more effectively and accommodate their DJs, broadcasters and employees.  

As for Servas, she stated that the new hours will allow her to finish her own work in her own time at the studio.   

“This will definitely help me this semester, especially with the projects I have in progress,” said Servas. “I’m going to be able to complete everything on my to-do list without.” 

This article was updated on Feb. 13 to correct the Union’s hours on Sundays.