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Students ready for housing
improvements
The South Texan |
|
Stained carpets. Leaking roofs that have needed to be fixed for years. Bland, blue-colored walls that give you a feel you’re in some sort of cheap hotel. Rooms fit for a soldier just about to start basic training.
These are the first things you notice once you step foot inside the Texas A&M University – Kingsville dormitory halls, Turner and Bishop. But word is, that is all about to change. Terisa Remelius, TAMUK vice president for student affairs, revealed some exciting news concerning these dormitories. Within the next year, Turner and Bishop Hall will be completely demolished and a new set of dormitory halls will be built. The plan is to have these new buildings built by August 2009.
So where exactly would all the residents move to once they begin the construction on these new dormitories? According to Remelius, all students were issued a letter explaining the future plans. As of now, most residents have found a new place to live, and as for the ones who have not – the school is working diligently to make sure everyone has a place to stay as construction begins. The TAMUK administration has handled this well. Most students – at least those new ones and those who return to dormitory life – will not mind the wait.
The layout of these new dormitories is very modern - a suite style layout designed with the student in mind. The buildings are expected to be four floors, instead of the three floors the current dorms have now. If that doesn’t sound interesting already, there are also plans to build a restaurant-type dining facility – instead of the traditional one-for-all central cafeteria where current residents get their meals. The residents would be catered to as if they were customers in a restaurant.
The main goal with the new construction is to bring all residents closer together. The new dormitory halls should help bring a wider social environment to not just the residents, but to the entire student body. The new dorms will house at least 400 students. With these many expected residents, plans are to eventually demolish Martin Hall and turn that into a parking lot.
Now as enticing as all this sounds, there is still one major question that needs to be answered. Exactly how much more are students going to have to pay with these new dormitory halls? The answer has still not been figured out, but this is where the students and the faculty come in. There are three major companies in which the school is in talks with to figure out the solution to this question – Collegiate Development, American Campus, and Trinitas Ventures. A letter containing the demographics and average income of the students here at Texas A&M University– Kingsville has been sent to each of the three companies to illustrate that many of the students do not have a great deal of money, and can not afford to be overpriced, Remelius explained.
On May 15, an interview meeting will be held with each company to try and figure out which will be the most willing to accommodate our students’ needs. Students and faculty are asked to come and voice their opinions. The more individuals who attend, the more informed these companies can understand exactly what the TAMUK students’ needs are. Also, with more students and faculty, these companies may be more willing to help. Seeing that something as important as this is to not be taken lightly within the college community.
To this point, the TAMUK officials have done a wonderful job of handling the new housing issue. Deteriorating facilities are never good for a university environment. In fact, they are an eyesore. In addition, residents who remain in those dorms tell their friends – many of them potential future students – of the condition and perceived lack of care for the students by the college. This, inevitably will impact enrollment and even the atmosphere of college life here. New construction is welcomed and worth the wait. It’s much better than having someone see a dormitory with a cracked door welcoming visitors. To the TAMUK administration, thank you for a job well done. We can’t wait for the new buildings.