The new residence hall, coined New Hall until a name is selected, has been a hit with the Crete and Doane Community in recent weeks.
New Hall officially opened on Jan. 16 as students living in that hall moved in all of their belongings from Frees Hall where they lived last semester while New Hall was under construction. Students who currently live in New Hall are a range from freshmen to seniors.
Prior to that Residential Life and Education (Res Life) staff hosted a variety of tours to Community Advisors, Doane staff and faculty and to the public.
Community Day was held on Jan. 11 where Director of Residential Life and Education Brian Stutz in addition to other members of the Res Life team welcomed the Crete community.
New Hall features 126 beds all being single rooms in various sized suites. Suites range from 2 people (CA suites), 4 people, 6 people and up to 8 people.
Each student will have the same amount of space. This means that an 8-person suite will have more square footage than a 2-person suite.
Stutz stressed that students in this hall will get their own space but still feel a part of a community.
There are 3 floors in addition to a basement. On each floor there are lounge spaces that host either pool, ping pong, or foosball. Each floor also has study rooms that are zoom capable.
In the basement there is a storm shelter that doubles as a large study space, a kitchen and lounge area and access to the back patio. Outside features an outdoor amphitheater similar to Cassel Outdoor Air Theatre.
This theater is also yet to be named but Stutz has high hopes that the space can be used for things like Greek events, music performances and entertainers at Doane.
New Hall depicts bright and vibrant colors. One of the common colors seen on the walls and on the couches found in each suite is green. The idea behind so much green is that Doane is an arboretum and Res Life wanted to “bring that outside inside,” according to Stutz.
With this new residence hall the hope is that it will help increase enrollment. Several areas of the building are left unfinished. This was intentional as the future enrollment at Doane will dictate if these spaces become classrooms, more suites, offices or more.
If this new hall does increase enrollment, Stutz hopes another new residence hall will be in Doane’s future.
The official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Feb. 5 at noon.
