DeKALB | NIU hopes to improve the community living experience with the proposed design of the new residence hall.

“It will give students the privacy they need, but situate that in a community setting that has the potential to create a family experience while living in the halls,” said Brian Hemphill, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. “Additionally, the CA to student ratio will be low which provides good service and support for residential students.”

The new residence hall will have students living in groups of 12 rooms called clusters or pods. In each pod, the students would have a personal bedroom as well as a bathroom that will be shared with one other student. There would also be a shared living space for the whole pod that would include a kitchenette and a living area, Hemphill said.

Sophomore accountancy major Mike Matta said he likes the proposed design ideas and thinks future students will like them as well.

“I think for new people coming in it could be a very big draw,” Matta said. “It could be a good way to attract new students.”

Freshman accountancy major Daihee Cho agrees with Matta, but believes the pod setup may actually lead to people being less social.

“Right now, we are really social,” Cho said. “But people are going to be more separated, and I don’t think people would see each other as much.”

In addition to the new pod design, the new residence hall will include a number of amenities that NIU’s other residence halls do not have.

“We are very excited about the plans for community center which will include fresh, new dining amenities,” Hemphill said. “Additionally, the community center will house a fitness center and a lounge complete with a gaming area.”

Matta said he is excited about the possibility of having a gaming area and a fitness center in a residence hall.

“You could get a lot of people to go there,” Matta said. “It would be a lot of fun.”