The Ohio University Board of Trustees approved various items so the university can start construction of a new 591-bed residence hall on South Green during meetings on Thursday and Friday on the Athens Campus.
The residence hall, which will be the largest on campus, is Phase II of the University’s Housing Master Plan. During the meeting, the board approved an increase in the overall budget for the phase and extending funds into the construction, which is expected to start next month.
The University plans to fund this $110.5 million project with external financing and Housing departmental reserves.
According to the meeting agenda, the total building area will be 163,338 gross square feet. It will share a courtyard with Brown, Pickering and Mackinnon Halls.
The new residence hall will feature pod-style residential communities with an emphasis on community and common space, a blend of single and double rooms to meet the requests of student residents, the inclusion of huddle rooms for private conversations and quiet study, kitchen and lounge space to foster community, single-user restrooms and multipurpose space on the ground floor intended to support various campus programming, according to the university.
“Our goal is to make this hall as inclusive as possible for those part of our residential community, but also for those residing elsewhere on or off campus, commuting and overall part of the OHIO community,” said Jneanne Hacker, director of Housing and Residence Life. “With the multipurpose space on the ground floor that is part of the building’s design, we are hoping to invite people in who are using the adjacent green spaces around South Green. We have an amazing opportunity to reimagine the identity of the South Green neighbored and create the same unity seen on the other greens.”
Building community through engagement
During the design process, Housing and Residence Life connected with students and University stakeholders to learn about their residential experiences and what their expectations for the future of OU’s overall residential experience might look like. Housing also worked with University deans and other campus partners to learn more about how they can create space that fosters academic collaboration and campus partnerships.
“We were intentional and purposeful in what we wanted out of this design — tradition, transparency and transition,” Hacker added. “Through these three focuses, we could ensure that we are paying homage to the traditional red brick, providing transparency for students to see out beyond the bricks and creating pathways that allows students to transition from the building to the green space, as well as ensuring we are transitioning the iconic parts of OHIO and South Green into this new hall.”
Reshaping OHIO’s residential experience
Approved by Trustees in 2022, the Housing Master Plan marks a significant step forward in the University’s commitment to enhancing its residential infrastructure.
The first phase of this plan has been implemented and is ready for the groundbreaking, which will be announced at a later date. With construction planned to start in spring/summer 2024, the goal is for the hall to be completed by spring 2026, with students able to move in around fall 2026.
The plan also includes four levels of updates with the goal of bringing all of the University’s residential spaces up to a common standard. This encompasses major renovations, minor renovations, maintenance investments, and new construction to address room style needs, facility replacements, and capacity needs aligned with enrollment projections.
Looking ahead, the university plans to integrate the Housing Master Plan’s capital priorities into its broader Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan process. Future projects will be closely coordinated with OU’s Enrollment Management team and other stakeholders to ensure comprehensive planning and timely execution.
In other matters, the Board received an update from President Lori Stewart Gonzalez regarding the progress of the Dynamic Strategy process after committee leaders presented their ideas and findings to the community in February. The final draft of the Dynamic Strategy goals and strategies will be presented for the Board’s approval during their June meeting. She also highlighted the success of the President’s Opportunity Promise so far, noting that, to date, applications are up 21 percent in the counties impacted by this program.
Gonzalez invited Vice President for University Communications and Marketing and co-chair of the Mission and Vision Refresh Committee Robin Oliver to share a draft version of the committee’s revitalized Mission and Vision.
Last fall, Gonzalez charged a small group of University leaders and experts with the task of reviewing and refreshing the University Mission and Vision, which was last fully updated in 2007. Since then, the committee has engaged with numerous University stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Broad feedback uncovered several common themes, including a desire to focus on student success, value and experiential learning.
Oliver shared that a draft version of the University’s revitalized Mission and Vision will live on the University’s existing Mission and Vision page before being shared again with the Board in June for final review and approval.
In addition, Vice President for Human Resources Mary Elizabeth Miles presented to the Board priorities within the department, which include evaluating employee benefits, policies and programs; increasing professional development opportunities and leadership development programs; developing OHIO onboarding processes; and formalizing and increasing employee recognition. She also shared how her team is working to streamline Human Resource processes and serve as strategic partners for all OHIO employees.
The board is next scheduled to meet June 13 at OU’s Dublin campus.
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