Southeast Missouri State University
For more information, contact:
Ann K. Hayes (573) 651-2552
ahayes@semo.edu

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW RESIDENCE HALL TO BE DEDICATED OCT. 18

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Oct. 11, 2002 – Southeast Missouri State University’s new residence hall will officially be dedicated during a ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18 as part of Homecoming week festivities.

The new five-story residence hall is located on the east side of Henderson Street between Broadway and Normal. The building is home to about 300 Southeast students, who moved into the building with the start of fall semester classes Aug. 19.

The dedication ceremony will feature remarks by Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins, president of Southeast Missouri State University; Ross McFerron, president of Student Government; Laura Hockensmith, student representative to the Board of Regents; and Dave Mantarano, president of the Residence Hall Association.

The public is invited to tour the building immediately following the ceremony.

The new hall boasts many amenities students have come to expect, including movable furniture, bunkable beds, suite style rooms, phone jacks, cable jacks and high-speed internet access in every room. The building also features high ceilings, large windows and many electrical outlets.

Southeast Missouri State University is the only public college or university in Missouri to open a new residence hall this school year. The new hall houses primarily returning students, with about 70 residents per floor. A typical suite in the new hall is shared by four students, with two in each room. Semiprivate bathrooms connect the two rooms.

Those who tour the facility will learn that the building is carpeted throughout with the exception of laundry facilities, which are located on the first level and have a large, adjacent television/game room. Floors two through five each feature a large glassed-in living room area with a view to the southwest. These areas contain a kitchenette, LAN drops and plenty of room for meetings, social gatherings, studying or just a place to go and relax. A second, mid-sized lounge on each floor provides a more social and intimate space for residents to meet. Also located on each floor is a designated study room designed for eight to 10 students to meet and practice a presentation or conduct a small group study session. The building also features the latest in life safety equipment with sprinklers and smoke detectors throughout the facility.

The hall’s brick and stone exterior was chosen in an effort to blend in well with neighboring facilities. A large green space has been created behind the new residence hall, creating a welcome environment for students to recreate or to just enjoy the outdoors. With the addition of the new hall, the formation of a residential unit consisting of Dearmont, Myers and the new facility is now completed.

“We are creating a new community,” said Jim Settle, director of Residence Life.

Ryan Sides of Cape Girardeau says he enjoys living in the new building.

“It’s really nice to be in a brand new residence hall,” he said. “Not many students have the opportunity to be the first to live in a new building. Our room, along with the study areas and the game room are great. Plus, the students in my building love being able to eat in the new Skylight Terrace next door to our building.”

A major component of the new community is the expansion of a new food service area in the University Center. The new dining space, called Skylight Terrace, has been constructed on the former patio on the south side of the University Center. The former patio is covered with a two-story glass atrium that creates a very open and pleasant dining environment. The new dining space provides seating for more than 230 people, a new entrance for the University Center, and the addition of a new food service concept.

"We believe the new residence hall and the new dining area are very attractive to students," said Dr. Pauline Fox, vice president for administration and enrollment management. "We have had a lot of student involvement with these projects and have tried to meet the needs of students. They have been very supportive and very active in the process."

“Students drove every facet of the design,” Settle said.

Fox said a new residence hall was needed at Southeast as occupancy in residence halls on the campus has increased steadily since 1997. She said rising occupancy rates in Southeast's residence halls are due, in part, to the University's ability to attract about 40 percent of its students from the greater St. Louis metropolitan area.

"Our commitment to requiring freshmen and sophomores to live on campus has contributed to increased occupancy and better retention of students as well," Fox said. Jacobs Facilities, Inc., formerly Sverdrup, provided architectural and engineering services. Paric Corp. served as construction managers. Total cost of the project is $13.4 million, which is being financed through the issuance of bonds. The bonds will be retired through residence hall fees paid by student residents.

Prior to the construction of the new facility, Southeast's residence hall system consisted of 12 separate buildings, all of which were built before 1970. Two of the buildings in the Towers Complex were renovated into suites in 1993-1995. All five Group houses and the Towers main complex were renovated in 1999-2000.

 

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