For the first time in history, every hall on the Ottawa University Campus is co-ed.
Bennett and Brown hall were previously coed and separated by floors. but Brown Hall will remain separated by floors, while Bennett and Martin will be separated by suites, with all-male and all-female suites on the same floors. The most significant change is in Martin Hall, which has always been an all-female dorm.
Jacqueline Robinson, one of the returning RA’s in Martin, said she was initially against the change.
“There are certain things you can do when its just all girls,” she said. “But you know it’s a different experience and the best way to face it is with a positive attitude.”
Robinson said that the feelings on the change are roughly half-and-half. Girls who initially chose to live in Martin because it was not coed are having some difficulty getting used to having guys around. The atmosphere of Martin has changed in the sense that it’s more lively this year, she said.
Sophomore Megan Reed has lived in Martin Hall since she started at OU. She said that she wasn’t sure at first whether the switch to integrated floors would be a good idea.
“I am pleasantly surprised on how well it has turned out,” she said. “At first I was against the idea of Martin going co-ed. The guys that are currently living in Martin are for the most part really respectful.”
Chad Cunningham is a returning resident of Bennett Hall. He thinks the change is a good idea because it is increasing social interaction among students. He did have a problem with the visitation curfew still being in place.
Last year, student residents got to vote on whether to have 24-hour visitation hours or to keep the curfew the same. It did not pass and the curfew still remains the same this year.
“If we’re going to have coed dorms, we need to have 24-hour visitation, because there’s nothing stopping someone from going into the opposite sex’s room no matter how good the RA’s are,” Cunningham said. “If they had 24-hour visitation it would make the RA’s job easier and they could focus on the more important stuff.”
Senior Carl Prieto, one of the new RA’s in Martin Hall, said there have only been a few minor complaints so far, mostly about the noise levels.
“The other complaints that I hear regularly and are actually all starting to blend in together and beginning to sound like a broken record are the complaints regarding visitation hours,” he said. “They all come to complain to me about the visitation hours not being extended to 24/7.”
David Glavin, resident director of Bennett, believes the switch to integrated halls was necessary this year since there were so many incoming students.
“With the large enrollment this year, integrated floors was necessary in the suit style residence halls,” he said. “It has been beneficial in that it is possible to accommodate all of our on-campus students.”
Glavin said there have not been any problems in Bennett so far this regarding the living situations.
“So far this year in Bennett Hall I have not encountered any students who have negative opinions regarding the new coed floor arrangements,” he said. “Thankfully, everyone seems to be getting along.”