2008 Woodie Awards
New residence hall construction at a stand-still
Billy Nollet
Issue date: 10/27/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A new residence hall and dining facility has been in the works for the Prescott Campus for several years now.
Director of Housing, Liz Frost, claimed that the university's goal was to build a new dormitory and dining hall "several years ago" in the space between hall 5, HAAS and the King Engineering Center. Due to financial reasons, however, the new complex has been substantially delayed.
As if the delay were not frustrating enough, Frost declares that, for right now, "everything is on hold." Consequently, a date of completion for the project can only be speculated.
The plan was to develop a more "traditional living/learning environment" for ERAU's incoming freshman. All of the new rooms, in fact, will be reserved for the L3 program students (freshman). Housing desires a stronger sense of community within our freshman classes.
Mingus Mountain Resident Director Latisha Johnston states that the new facility will help freshman to "feel more of a college" experience. Frost believes that a multi-story complex with specified floors for each academic program will accomplish desired community bonds. Frost states that the new hall would "[house] most of our freshman students" under the same roof, thus forming strong friendships and working relationships earlier in their college career.
Currently, the freshman class is around 400 people, but will increase as the university expands. Frost elaborates that, as part of the 2015 plan, Embry Riddle wants to increase its size from 1,600 students to about 2,200.
At the moment, however, ERAU is "not at 100% occupancy" on campus, and until the university has sufficient need for more housing, the new facility is not a priority.
The building itself will consist of two towers, with the new dining facility between them and thus, offering student's group lounges, study lounges, and a central dining hall within the building.
The new dining service will continue to be run by Chartwells, for they "will more than likely help fund the new building," just as they helped fund renovations on the Lower Hangar. Frost recognizes that "a lot of students aren't satisfied with Chartwells." Nonetheless, she hopes to see an RHA representative on the food service committee (along with the SGA representative) "to help improve Chartwells."
Ever since the events of 9/11, the Housing Deptartment, as well as the rest of the country, has experienced financial hardship.
Frost states, however, that "we have recovered" from this set back, and are experiencing an increase in housing and financial success. Hence, the project is still planned for completion, but significantly delayed. For now, the project has been reduced to just the dining hall, which will hopefully be ready for use January of 2008.
Director of Housing, Liz Frost, claimed that the university's goal was to build a new dormitory and dining hall "several years ago" in the space between hall 5, HAAS and the King Engineering Center. Due to financial reasons, however, the new complex has been substantially delayed.
As if the delay were not frustrating enough, Frost declares that, for right now, "everything is on hold." Consequently, a date of completion for the project can only be speculated.
The plan was to develop a more "traditional living/learning environment" for ERAU's incoming freshman. All of the new rooms, in fact, will be reserved for the L3 program students (freshman). Housing desires a stronger sense of community within our freshman classes.
Mingus Mountain Resident Director Latisha Johnston states that the new facility will help freshman to "feel more of a college" experience. Frost believes that a multi-story complex with specified floors for each academic program will accomplish desired community bonds. Frost states that the new hall would "[house] most of our freshman students" under the same roof, thus forming strong friendships and working relationships earlier in their college career.
Currently, the freshman class is around 400 people, but will increase as the university expands. Frost elaborates that, as part of the 2015 plan, Embry Riddle wants to increase its size from 1,600 students to about 2,200.
At the moment, however, ERAU is "not at 100% occupancy" on campus, and until the university has sufficient need for more housing, the new facility is not a priority.
The building itself will consist of two towers, with the new dining facility between them and thus, offering student's group lounges, study lounges, and a central dining hall within the building.
The new dining service will continue to be run by Chartwells, for they "will more than likely help fund the new building," just as they helped fund renovations on the Lower Hangar. Frost recognizes that "a lot of students aren't satisfied with Chartwells." Nonetheless, she hopes to see an RHA representative on the food service committee (along with the SGA representative) "to help improve Chartwells."
Ever since the events of 9/11, the Housing Deptartment, as well as the rest of the country, has experienced financial hardship.
Frost states, however, that "we have recovered" from this set back, and are experiencing an increase in housing and financial success. Hence, the project is still planned for completion, but significantly delayed. For now, the project has been reduced to just the dining hall, which will hopefully be ready for use January of 2008.
Be the first to comment on this story