In apparent defiance of the Watt Way and Exposition Boulevard gate now closing at 8 p.m., students are using a chair positioned near the gate to jump the entrance after hours. On Sept. 25, the Daily Trojan witnessed at least nine students scaling the wall to reach the opposite side. Others choose to exit onto Figueroa Street, a 10-minute detour at night.

On Aug. 1, USC shortened campus gate hours at Watt Way and Exposition Boulevard, moving the closing time from 24/7 access to 8 p.m. The change has drawn criticism from students who say the policy creates safety concerns and commuting challenges. 

Jiaxin Chen, a graduate student studying business administration, said the change has made commuting at night unsafe and less convenient.

“This year I have an elective on Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. … I usually park at the Flower Street structure because it’s the nearest parking structure to Marshall [School of Business],” Chen said. “I feel it’s really unsafe because it’s really late at night, and even the professor thinks it’s not safe. So, the professor walked with us in a group to Flower Street [Parking Structure].”

The revised policy has affected Marshall students who frequently use the Flower Street Parking Structure, one of the closest lots for students who attend classes at Popovich Hall. As the Pardee Way entrance also closes at 8 p.m., the change now requires students to take a longer walk back to their vehicles after class.

Tony Mazza, the director of USC Transportation, wrote in a statement to the Daily Trojan that the decision to close the gates earlier was based on usage patterns.

“The entrance at Watt Way and Exposition Boulevard, which had been open 24 hours, was not used much after 8 p.m.” the statement read. “The pedestrian gate hours for the rest of the gates remain 6 a.m.-8 p.m.”

To create a “better experience” for students, Mazza wrote that the Watt Way and Jefferson Boulevard entrance will be open 24/7 for easier access to USC Village. Mazza also said vehicle entrances at Downey Way and Vermont Avenue are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with exits available until midnight. Hours are extended on home football game nights. 

Alexander Antúnez, a master’s student studying business administration, said the gates were already closed after he finished classes and echoed Chen’s statement that the gate closures made returning to his car less efficient. 

“They should keep the gates open until at least class finish[es], so that students are able to get to their cars directly and don’t have to go to another exit,” Antunez said. “In my case, it’s almost 10 more minutes walking, and I have to walk more time through [Figueroa] street than if I left directly through Marshall, which isn’t that safe during the night.”

The closures reroute students onto South Figueroa Street, which Antunez described as dimly lit and unsafe at night. Some classes end as late as 9:30 p.m., leaving students to return to their cars at hours when foot traffic is minimal.

Chen said that since some classes run until 9:30 p.m., the gate hours should be extended.

“USC canceled the checking with the ID at the gate, so it’s really unsafe at night. I am insulted by some homeless people when I walk there, and I can smell marijuana — I just feel really unsafe,” Chen said. “I think this gate for Marshall [students] maybe can extend to the [end of class time] so it’s more convenient and safe for women like us.”

Correction: A previous version of this article included a redundant phrase. The article was updated Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. to delete the redundancy. The Daily Trojan regrets this error.