The construction of the Jim Crow Museum and the new residence hall are just a few of the new changes that President Dr. Bill Pink plans to make, with a specific focus on the dorms.
These changes and plans come into play as a way to update Ferris and allow students to have a more comfortable and better experience on campus, according to Pink.
One of the ways that he plans to do this is by updating dorm buildings and deciding which ones should still be around. Throughout the summer and the fall, Pink plans to have the current dorm buildings evaluated to determine their condition.
“This evaluation looks at our buildings, the condition of our buildings, and it gives us a report,” Pink said. “I think it works like a traffic light, red, yellow and green. What it’s looking at is age, the structure of the building, all those things.”
Pink explained that based on what color the building receives, red being the building is at its worst and green being its condition is great, that will help determine the future of the building.
As for his plans following the completion of the new residence hall, set to be ready in fall 2026, Pink wants it to replace another hall.
“When we build one, my plan is that we take one offline,” Pink said. “I say take it offline, that may mean that we empty or that may mean that we push it over. One of those two. I say empty it because we may need to repurpose the building for something else, but my plan right now is you build one, you push one over.”
While Pink has plans for the halls on campus, students on campus have their thoughts on his plans.
Psychology sophomore Karley Kowalewski is currently living in Puterbaugh Hall. She voiced her concerns about new halls being rebuilt.
“My only thing is it’s going to take so long and we’re going to run out of space,” Kowalewski said. “After the new hall goes in, where is another hall going to go in? I can’t think of anywhere where there’s enough room for one, or parking too because there is not enough parking on campus.”
Kowalweski also expressed her understanding of needing new dorms, as she has seen things in her hall that need to be updated.
Psychology sophomore Caleb Nicholson lives off campus this semester but had previously lived in Henderson Hall during his freshman year. Nicholson expressed his concerns with the privacy at the current halls as well, as how much quieter his off-campus life is.
” I can no longer hear the dude next to me playing a game or talking on the phone,” Nicholson said. ” The living quality [at my new place] is better.”
Nicholson also expressed concern about how he felt the new residence hall has been advertised, as he feels it will only be open to athletes.
While it is currently unknown which dorm halls will end up being repurposed or replaced, plans are in work to create new residence halls on campus.