Use of Weller and Thomas Halls will be temporarily paused for fall of 2024, said Executive Director of Housing and Dining Services Mark Hudson.
To facilitate the pause, additional floors will be re-opened in fall in Andrews, Lawson and Taylor Halls, with Andrews Hall becoming a co-ed dorm.
It is currently unknown when the two paused halls will be unpausing, said Hudson.
Thomas and Weller will be put on pause in part due to upcoming building evaluations, Hudson said.
Between now and the end of the calendar year, major utility systems including HVAC, electrical and plumbing will be assessed in the buildings on campus by an outside company, Hudson said.
From the assessments, a report is expected to come out at the end of the calendar year detailing which buildings on campus need work and which ones are in the best shape, he said.
Following the report, Hudson said, the university will be reviewing the findings and creating a plan to address whatever was found.
Additionally, Thomas Hall will also be put on pause due to two major campus projects planned for the area: the new life sciences building and the utility tunnel project.
“We want to try to sort of de-densify that area,” said Hudson in reference to the upcoming evaluation and construction.
According to Hudson, Andrews will become a co-ed floor to stabilize the gender balance in dorms on campus while keeping students who want to live in South Quad in that area.
“If we didn’t do that, the gender balance in other buildings would’ve been like five and two or, you know, a stretch,” Hudson said. “By doing the co-ed in Andrews, it allowed us to put a better balance in the other buildings.”
It is currently unknown whether or not Andrews will become all female again in the future, Hudson said.
Any EIU student requesting Weller or Thomas Hall for next semester can update their housing contract before April 1. Should they not, students will be assigned to their second or third housing options.
Residents currently living in Weller Hall or Thomas Hall that were looking to stay in their respective halls will have priority assignment for their next building choice, Hudson said.
Thomas Hall residents in honors housing, the STEP program or the baseball team will have their building assignments automatically transferred to Taylor Hall, Hudson said.
Alli Hausman can be reached at 581-2812 or athausman@eiu.edu.
