NYU has reaffirmed its policy that student-sponsored visitors cannot enter Bobst Library, with the exception of immediate family members. The change was implemented in April amid an uptick in protests and demonstrations on campus, when administration articulated growing concern that non-NYU affiliates could congregate in open university spots. 

The university did not make an official announcement when the policy was initially updated, and only added signs announcing the change at the library’s entrance in early October. In a statement to WSN, university spokesperson John Beckman said the university felt that clarification was needed in response to a stream of inquiries from students.

CAS sophomore Allison Chung told WSN that she had been unfamiliar with the policy change and was under the impression that guests were allowed. 

“This rule is idiotic because Bobst is the only NYU building that has a no-guest policy,” Chung said. “I feel that it also has enough room to accommodate many people, unlike some of the other buildings on campus, so it’s a bit nonsensical to me to restrict access to those who aren’t an NYU student.”

Another student, who chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, told WSN that they attempted to bring a guest into the library for a tour on Oct. 12 but were stopped by a Campus Safety officer before passing the turnstiles. After explaining to security that they would only give their guest a tour and then leave, the officer was “adamant” that they would not be allowed in.

In the statement, Beckman reiterated that students could still sponsor parents, guardians and children, and that prior to the changes, they had only been able to sponsor two visitors per semester. He said that individuals who need to access a specific item from the library for research purposes can do so via the NYU Libraries-Affiliated Programs. 

In February, the university closed the Grand Staircase in the Kimmel Center for University Life due to the “level of protest activity” near campus. NYU had previously said that the closure was due to the distance between the building’s entrance and the security turnstiles, which allowed easier access for non-NYU associated individuals to congregate in the building. At encampments in April — around the time the policy was updated — the university repeatedly said it deployed police to counteract protesters “not affiliated with the university.”

Last spring, multiple demonstrations were held in Bobst, including one led by the People’s Solidarity Coalition in May where nine students were suspended and two were issued persona non grata status. More recently, members of NYU’s chapter of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine held a lobby demonstration last month, reading passages from books they said violated NYU’s updated conduct policies.

Contact Addison Alvarado at [email protected].