Huntington College News Release
Contact John W. Paff, Public Relations Director (260) 359-4048 or 358-7074
College to build new residence hall
Ground-breaking planned for April
FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 3, 1998
HUNTINGTON, IN— Huntington College will build a new residence hall next summer, college officials announced today. The facility is the College's first step toward accommodating a rapidly growing student body.
Currently, college residence halls are at capacity. Huntington College has experienced a 41% increase in total enrollment since 1993. Huntington College has aggressive plans to continue the growth trend, aiming to reach 1,000 students by the end of the decade. Applications for next Fall are up 23% over this time last year.
The new student residence will be the first of a series of buildings called for in the College's Facilities Master Plan. That plan, adopted in 1996, calls for the construction of townhouses and six small residence halls to be built as required by increasing enrollment. During their January meeting, college trustees authorized the construction of the first small residence hall.
"This is a new type of housing for our campus, designed with upperclassmen in mind," said Ron Coffey, associate dean of student development. "These new facilities will accommodate about 45 students, with rooms designed for single, double, and triple occupancy. A central lounge and dining area will be built on the second and third floors. We believe our students will appreciate the ability to prepare some meals in their own residences. As our students mature into early adulthood, we want to be able to accommodate their desire for progressively more independent living arrangements." The new residence type is seen as an alternative to traditional residence hall rooms and Forester Village, the College's apartment complex designed for married students.
Tentative plans are being made for ground-breaking in April. The new facility is scheduled to be completed in time for occupancy in the fall of 1999.
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