Late hours at the Bryan Center may provide a study haven for students, but a recently extended closing time had resulted in significant strife among the building's employees.
Since Jan. 17, the student center has changed its closing time from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. As a result, four Bryan Center housekeepers who worked the third shift of the night, from 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., were reassigned to different buildings and different shifts. The housekeepers were also left with a loss of pay due to the lower premiums attached to day shift salaries. Meanwhile, the third shift utility workers, responsible for all West Campus administration buildings, are picking up the slack left by the Bryan Center's reduced workforce.
"We're still working the same hours, just twice as much," said Darrin Fowler, a utility worker on the third shift.
Housekeeping administrators said a restructured employee schedule is necessary to accommodate the later closing time and to improve cleaning efficiency.
"Very little cleaning on the third shift was being done," said James Johnson, director of housekeeping operations. "My decision was based on the efficiency in the Bryan Center from a housekeeping perspective. The extended hours had an effect on that. . . we only [have] a four hour window when the building [is] not occupied....We can't clean the building with people in there."
Fannie Mangum, a former Bryan Center housekeeper on the third shift, lost the 12% premium on her salary when she was transferred to the North Building's first shift, which does not carry any premium. The University's second shift, where the other three Bryan Center housekeepers were sent, is paid a 7% premium. Mangum estimates that she has lost about $100 per paycheck. "I think they cut that third shift for the premium," she said.
Most utility employees who work solely in the Bryan Center said they have not noticed a significant change in their workload, but those who must tend to several West Campus buildings in one night said they notice the difference.
"I don't think [utility men who work throughout West Campus] like the idea of having to strip floors most of the night and then coming over here," said Gregory Clegg, a third shift utility man in the Bryan Center. Clegg said his own workload has increased minimally.
Johnson said he thinks the new schedules are reasonable.
"We wouldn't expect one person to clean the entire Bryan Center. I am not aware of any situation where people are being overworked or double worked."
In response to student request, the extended Bryan Center hours have been implemented on a trial basis until the end of the semester, said Jim Slaughter, manager of the Bryan Center.
But late-night traffic in the student center has been "slow," Slaughter said, even during the undergraduate reading periods, when the Bryan Center is open 24 hours a day. "I've been here a couple of nights and seen maybe 10 or 12 people at two in the morning."
Some University students expressed their appreciation of the school's attempts to maximize efficiency, reduce costs and accommodate students.
"A lot of people stay here to study and don't want to have to leave at one. I find it easier to study here because, it's not more social, but there is a better atmosphere here," said Trinity sophomore Colleen Carnes.
But other students were outraged that such changes were being implemented at the expense of salaried employees. "The average salary in Durham is low enough as it is. Duke is a huge factor in this community. I think it's the responsibility of Duke to help the community around it," said Trinity sophomore Mihir Patel.
Slaughter said he was not privy to the housekeeping shifts when he made his recommendation for later hours. "That was something that was in the works for housekeeping," he said. "[The new hours] just made it more convenient."
Said Johnson, "I'm concerned about my employees, but at the same time, we have to be efficient at what we do."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.