Summer 2004

New Residence Hall Opens Its Doors This Fall

A new apartment style residence hall is prepared to open this fall, providing more living options and conveniences for all Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students. In fact, for the first time in over 30 years, all students wanting to live on campus will have a room for the start of the 2004-2005 school year.

The 75,000-square-foot residential complex has 60 apartments, which will house 240 upper class students and other staff members. Each unit includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, living area and a bath for use by four students. Apartments also will have their own heating and cooling system and controls, nine computer network connections, three cable television connections and two telephone jacks.

A commons area on the first floor will include a convenience store, Subway restaurant, coffee house, double-sided fireplace and dining area. The lounge area provides access to wireless technology connections.

"This new facility gives us a lot more flexibility in on-campus residence living and provides more services to our students," said Pete Gustafson, vice president of student affairs. "We've never had a convenience store on campus. I believe it will be something that our students will enjoy. The new Subway provides more meal options."

The $13.5 million apartment style residence hall will help increase on-campus housing to 1,052 students this fall -- nearly 60 percent of the college's 1,800 student body. The Student Affairs Office also was able to provide 45 students with single residence hall rooms, at an increased price.

"In recent years, we didn't have enough rooms available for all of the upper class students that wanted to live on campus. That's no longer a problem. And, being able to offer single rooms this year was a nice option," Gustafson said. "I believe on-campus housing and activities are part of the educational experience for our students. That experience will be even more enhanced with this new facility."

Rose-Hulman has also provided more than $1 million in capital improvements to other residence halls and residence life areas on campus. A new sports-theme lounge will enhance the former game room on the first floor of the student union. It will have a 70-inch television, four 42-inch plasma screen televisions, a high quality sound system, deluxe cable television package and seating for 30 guests.

Other improvements include the installation of a sprinkler fire protection system and fire alarms inside several freshmen residence halls; new oak doors for all rooms in the Scharpenburg and Mees residence halls; and a new kitchen in the Deming residence hall. Also, a new entrance has been added to west end of the Sports and Recreation Center, providing students living in residence halls easy access to the popular campus facility.