New residence hall opens on campus

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Nearly 300 Midwestern State University students have a new place to call home this year. Next week they'll be moving into the university's new Sundance Court apartments and Lindsey Rogers got the exclusive first look inside.

We were the first to get a tour of the brand new facility. And while there are still a few minor things maintence crews are finishing up, I can definitly tell you the apartments are much nicer than any on-campus living facility we had when I was in school.

The past few years the Housing and Residence Life department at Midwestern State University has had a major problem. Each year, they have more applicants than they have room for. The university was even having to rent apartments off campus for students to live in. But they hope the new Sundance Court will take care of that.

"It looks like it has for this year.. Housing is full, only a few beds left. We won't have to have overflow this year," said housing director Danny Reddick.

Like most traditional residence halls Sundance Court has an interior corridor. But the rooms on either side of the hallway are set-up like apartments. Students can choose from two or four bedroom floorplans. Each is furnished and has a full kitchen, walk-in closet and washer and dryer.

"When you ask students what's their favorite thing, 90 percent of them say washer and dryer," Reddick said.

The facility is equiped with 96 apartments and can house 276 students. With a recreation room, study areas on each floor and two computer labs, it gives students plenty of opportunity for interaction.

Residence staff hope common areas like the outdoor cooking space will help develop a more tight knit community.

"We purposely made all these public areas to try and get them to come down and gather in groups and get to know each other," Reddick said.

Due to special circumstances, several students are already living in the facility. But move in day for the rest of the student body starts next Tuesday, August 18 at noon.

Students will have less than a week to un-pack and settle in. MSU classes begin August 24.