Harmonie tightens laptop ban enforcement in cafeteria

‘No studying between 12 and 2’

Harmonie tightens laptop ban enforcement in cafeteria

Facilities management wants to free up tables on the first floor of the Harmonie cafeteria during lunch break, so people can actually eat there. Extra rounds by employees and making announcements over the intercom should do the trick.

3 December om 13:30 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 22 November 2020
om 16:18 uur.

December 3 at 13:30 PM.
Last modified on November 22, 2020
at 16:18 PM.

Door Joas de Jong

3 December om 13:30 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 22 November 2020
om 16:18 uur.

By Joas de Jong

December 3 at 13:30 PM.
Last modified on November 22, 2020
at 16:18 PM.

Joas de Jong

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The new rules are also displayed on the signs that were installed in the cafeteria last year. They say that the cafeteria is not meant as a study location during lunch.

‘Between twelve and two is time for lunch, not time to study’, says facilities manager Robert Rossingh. Nevertheless, the signs are often ignored and both individuals and groups of students sit at the tables with their laptops open.

Enforce

To enforce the laptop ban, the university has been making announcements in both Dutch and English since last week. Staff at the C-bar, the coffee bar on the first floor, are responsible for sounding the announcement. They press a button at noon at twelve thirty, playing the following recording:

‘Dear cafeteria guests, between twelve and two o’clock, the first floor of this cafeteria is available for lunch only. The room behind the coffee bar is for employees only. Students who would like to study are welcome to go to the study rooms.’

Plenty of space

The approach appears to be working. Just before noon, the cafeteria is filled with studying students. When the announcement is played, a few people pack their stuff and leave the cafeteria. Other people aren’t as punctual but end up leaving after fifteen minutes anyway.

When the repeat announcement is played, there is plenty of space for people to have lunch. The tables near the electrical outlets still have a few students at them, though. The announcement isn’t played on Thursdays, but there is plenty of space on that day, anyway.

Staff

The announcement and extra rounds serve to remind students that the room behind the coffee bar is employees only. This room was made exclusive after a small cafeteria battle that raged last year. ‘From a health and safety point of view, we have to make sure staff members have their own lunch location’, says Rossingh.

The extra rounds help remind students of this. ‘We talk to students and tell them to go study somewhere else.’

Dutch