According to the Department of Housing and Residential Education's Web site, the residence halls were to be completed by June 7. University officials now estimate the completion to occur by the end of May or June 1 at the latest.
"It's impressive that it's the only thing on schedule," Residence Hall Association President David Cooper said, referring to other University construction projects such as the steam pipes on North Campus and the addition to the Student Union. "Housing has done a good job with the contractors and keeping them on schedule," he said.
Cooper said the University's goal is to make South Campus more aesthetically like North Campus because next fall about 60 percent of on-campus residents will call South Campus home -- as opposed to about 42 percent now.
"The dynamics of the on-campus population will change," he said. "As the years go by and more classes are (offered on South Campus), it will be more desirable to live there."
Students who have lived through the construction on South Campus for at least two years will be given priority consideration to live in the new halls. This recommendation comes from the open forums co-sponsored by the housing department to discuss the new residence hall communities.
Officials in the housing department plan to conduct an online survey to predict the interest of rising juniors and seniors in living on South Campus for another year.
If the demand to live in the new residence halls is not high, the option will then be opened to rising sophomores who have lived on South Campus for one year.
A number of spaces yet to be determined will be left open for incoming freshman before the rising sophomores are accommodated.
Director of Housing Christopher Payne said the continuation of the Master Plan, the University's 50-year plan for campus growth, will create a variety of options for students who want to remain on campus, the new residence halls being only one of these options.
