Morrison residents look for a new nest

South Campus residents returned from class with an extra bounce in their step Thursday afternoon.

In addition to seeing Spring Break on the horizon, students also had the long-awaited chance to take a peek inside the Rams Head Center, scheduled to open upon their return.

For some students, the center is a reminder of the University’s ongoing construction projects — more specifically, the closing and renovation of Morrison Residence Hall.

“I want to stay on middle campus so I can enjoy Rams Head,” said sophomore Ansley Austin, who now lives in Morrison. “I can’t stay here, so I have to move.”

Students began searching for alternate living arrangements after learning that Morrison will close its doors for renovations this fall. It isn’t scheduled to reopen until 2007.

Junior Dustin Allen, who has lived in Morrison since his freshman year, said that even though next year is his senior year, he would have stayed in Morrison because of its close location to the new center.

“(Construction) has to be done, but it’s a shame it has to be done now,” Allen said.

Rick Bradley, information and communications specialist for the Department of Housing and Residential Education, said Morrison residents have a myriad of options for living arrangements.

Students can request theme and substance-free housing, an Odum Village apartment or rooms with other students, he said. They also can participate in the open-campus recontracting process.

Open-campus recontracting, which is scheduled to take place March 29 through March 31, allows students to register to live in any leftover rooms on campus.

Bradley said the housing department hasn’t seen any change in the number of students recontracting so far this year. “(Recontracting) is going fine,” he said. “We have about 1,050 students so far that have recontracted to stay in their same room.”

RHA President Colin Scott said that although the University is losing one of its best and most highly demanded communities, the opening of Odum Village to undergraduates will help compensate for it.

“There are mild pains that might come with the shift,” Scott said. “But nothing extraordinary.”

Scott said the RHA has held recontracting sessions in every community to inform residents about their living options and alternatives for next year.

But students said that even though they’re able to move elsewhere on campus, they will still miss Morrison.

“The main thing is that people just really enjoy living here,” said freshman Donald Johnson.

Contact the University Desk at udesk@unc.edu.