Residence halls get upgrades

Residence halls that house primarily new students have undergone a first phase of renovations aimed at upgrading bathroom and laundry facilities. Completed just in time for the start of fall semester, the improvements were made in Boatwright, Hawkes and Pitts residence halls.

Bathrooms in all three facilities received a significant update, including adding partitions to create changing areas outside of the showers. Flooring and walls also were refreshed.

Laundry facilities in Hawkes were relocated to a newly created space on the first floor (shown at right). In Pitts, dividers were added to separate the laundry and bathroom areas.

Electrical upgrades also were accomplished in Hawkes, allowing the wiring there to accommodate the full range of appliances that arrive on move-in day with freshmen.

The donor-funded improvements have a significant impact on current students—and on the recruitment of future ones.

“The condition of our residence halls makes a big difference when recruiting students, and they just didn’t look as appealing as what students are used to seeing at other institutions,” said Director of Admissions Nicole Maddox.

Plans call for further improvements to the buildings, including HVAC, security-card access and furniture upgrades.