SEMO asks regents to approve new residence hall

A new residence hall on the main campus of Southeast Missouri State University may be in the works as the university deals with a higher-than-ever population and demand for student housing.

University officials will seek approval from the board of regents Friday to move forward on planning construction on a 250-bed residence hall that could help alleviate the university's 11 overcrowded residence halls.

According to Kathy Mangels, the university's vice president of finance, potential sites for the residence hall on both the west and north ends of campus will be discussed, but staff will recommend a site on the north end of campus near the Seabaugh Polytechnic Building and Greek housing.

"One of the things that is really leading site selection is food service," Mangels said. Since the residence hall would house 250 students, the number would not be enough to need to build a new cafeteria or other kind of food service, she said. Students at a new residence hall would need to eat at either the Towers cafeteria or the University Center. The hall could open by fall 2013.

In July, the university deferred admission for students living outside a 50-mile radius of the campus due to a large demand for on-campus housing. According to a four-week census, 3,107 housing contracts were in place as of Sept. 20. Anticipating a lack of space in the dorms, some upperclassmen were asked early in the summer by the university to consider taking part in an off-campus living arrangement. Around 50 students are living in double-occupancy rooms at Candlewood Suites this semester as a result of the partnership with the hotel. Enrollment at the university this fall is at an all-time high, with 11,510 students, a 3.6 percent increase since last fall. According to a September news release, the university's goal is to have 12,000 students by 2014.

As the student population has grown, the availability of private rooms has diminished, down to fewer than 10 this semester from more than 200 in 2007. According to Mangels, a new residence hall would provide some private rooms, which some students want despite a higher cost. The university is also seeing a trend of more upperclassmen wanting to stay on campus, Mangels said. Currently, there is a requirement that all full-time students must live on campus during their first two years of attendance, unless they reside with a family member or guardian within 50 miles of campus, are 21 years old, are a veteran, have completed 57 transferrable credit hours, are married or have dependent children residing with them.

According to Mangels, preliminary cost estimation for the construction of a new residence hall and associated parking comes in a little more than $24 million. The university is still looking at possible cost of utility extension to a site, she said. In order to fund construction, the university will look at the use of bonds and the feasibility of offsetting the bonds' cost with additional revenue gained from having additional rooms. That feasibility be discussed further at Friday's meeting, Mangels said, along with discussion of a possible expansion of group housing.

Mangels said the high demand for student housing is a good reflection not only on the university but also on Cape Girardeau.

University president Dr. Kenneth Dobbins will give the board of regents a report on a market feasability study for a possible River Campus hotel partnership as well at Friday's meeting. Dobbins updated the Cape Girardeau City Council on several university-related items at the council's Monday night meeting.

Dobbins said plans for a possible hotel near the River Campus which could also provide around 100 beds for students are going well. The Southeast Missouri State University Foundation owns approximately three acres of property on Fountain Street near the River Campus. Dobbins began proposing ideas in the spring for a hotel on the property that would be an academic and commercial complex. The idea entails the university partnering with a developer and national hotel chain operator to build a multistory hotel that would serve travelers and house River Campus students during fall and spring semesters.

Mangels said the need also exists for student housing near the River Campus because of the increase in students majoring in the arts who have unique needs based on programs they are in, which require them to spend a lot of time in River Campus buildings.

eragan@semissourian.com

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