Residential boom at Southern Polytechnic State University
At Home On Campus:
T
he signs that Southern Polytechnic State University is now a 24/7 campus are everywhere.
These days, when darkness has fallen
style community University Commons,
and the faculty/staff parking lots have
offering private bedrooms and, in some
emptied out, laughter and chatter echo
cases, private bathrooms in fully furnished
along campus walkways as residential
apartments. A second apartment
students make their way to the dining
community called University Courtyard
hall, a movie in the Student Center, or a
opened in 2004.
game of dodgeball next to the Engineering Technology Center. They wait to board the Marietta
By 2008, student enrollment at SPSU had steadily increased in response to expanded programs, and projections
Trolley to shop or eat at local restaurants,
called for even greater growth over the
returning later with grocery bags and other
next few years. It was time not just to
finds.
expand student housing options, but also
SPSU Police patrol the campus constantly and have found their services needed at all hours. The university has a
to change directions in campus housing management. The result was the opening of two
full-time nurse on staff and a physician
new suite-style residence halls: a 600-
under contract. Throughout the campus,
bed complex known as Hornet Village, and
fliers advertise numerous after-hours
SPSU’s special interest housing, University
activities — from study groups and
Columns, which has ten 12-bed, Greek-style
concerts to competitions and giveaways.
houses occupied by fraternities, sororities,
Meanwhile, in University Columns, the
the university’s soccer team, and visiting
colors and insignia of various fraternities
professors. SPSU now has a total of 1,673
and sororities compete for attention.
beds to offer students.
It’s 2013, and SPSU has come of age.
“Up until five years ago, the operation
Many people perceive the university
of Norton and Howell halls was privatized
as strictly a commuter school until they
– they were managed by an outside firm,”
venture onto campus and are shocked
said Chris Bruno, SPSU’s director of Housing
to find many more buildings than they
and Residence Life. “The university’s
imagined, including special interest houses,
leadership decided to form its own housing
apartment complexes, and residence
staff, and the emphasis has since shifted
halls filled with suites. Last fall, SPSU had
from viewing students as simply a source
a record number of students living on
of rent revenue to individuals whose needs
campus – more than 1,500.
are important and whose opinions are
SPSU built its first dormitory in the early 1960s and a second later that decade. SPSU became a four-year college
22
prompted the opening of the apartment-
valued and respected. We are here for the students and to help them be successful.” The staff of Housing and Residence Life
in 1970, but it was not until 1998 that
has tripled since 2008. There are now 50
the demand for on-campus housing
student staff members — which translates
SPSU Magazine Summer 2013