The Commons Under Construction

(Click on the picture to get a better look at the Quads)

As we enter this last week of the Fall 2008 semester at Union, a sense of joy and excitement will go along with us. No it is not the joy of taking exams all next week and wondering how we will do in all of our classes. But as we walk to those exams, we can catch a final glimpse of a building that is currently under construction.

The 15th dorm of the new Quads has pretty much been completed, and next semester, it will be opened for students. But even more exciting than the newest dorm is the Commons. We have been without a Commons (on this side of campus) for over 10 months now. We used to have 3 total, and now we only have the one in the Heritage Complex. But in Fall 2009 the new Quads Commons will be completed.

This past week, we have seen them move dirt, and today the ground has pretty much been leveled out. Pretty soon, we will see the framework of this 16th building. The new Commons (according to our campus newspaper) will be 30,000 square feet. Now we do not know what all will be in the Commons at this time. All we know is that they have gone over several floor plans trying to make the best one possible. They wanted to use every inch of space for something, and it sounds like this Commons will be amazing! The RDs will live in the new Commons as well.

Other than the Commons, the Quads have been transformed over the course of the semester. When we arrived, we had buildings and sidewalks with some newly laid sod. We were not allowed to walk on the sod until after Fall Break. Since that day, lampposts have been put up all through the 4-Quad area. Also, the Tornado Monument/Memorial was finished early this semester. Today, trees are being planted all around the area. Come Spring 2009 the Quads will look a lot different, yet again, and the Commons will be well on its way by then.

By Fall 2009, we will hopefully have the Residence Life Complexes back to normal, with new dorms and a new Commons. Then it will be time to conquer the next big task, more dorms. With completion of the 15th dorm, we are back to where we were the night of the Tornado. We have not increased our number of rooms on campus. But our enrollment has increased and is projected to increase again next year. If this happens, we will be tight on space to house everyone. So new dorms are in the works, as Dr. Dockery works on another plan for more housing.

So concludes another semester at Union. Finals are on the way, and the Commons is coming up. Spring 2009 promises to be another great semester.

Matt