Plans for future of 70 year old dorm remain unclear, will stay a quarantine dorm for spring

Campbell Hall, a fixture on campus since 1952, has housed students for over 60 years. Last year the Housing and Dining Department declared Campbell would be utilized exclusively for isolation and quarantine spaces. This news left many Campbell residents saddened and also led to questions regarding the future of the dorm.

Samantha Davis, a former Campbell resident and desk assistant said, “The community in Campbell has been really interactive, and I’ve loved the rooms and lounges. I was pretty disappointed when I found out I couldn’t (recontract), but I understood why Campbell would make a good place for isolation.”

Executive Director of Housing and Dining Nick Rafanello noted the reasoning behind the university’s decision to designate Campbell as a quarantine dorm. “We erred on the side of safety and determined we would be better served if we had a building we could use for isolation and quarantine spaces not knowing the impact COVID-19 would have this academic year,” Rafanello said.

With the end of first semester approaching, a small percentage of students have needed to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. As a result Campbell is sitting relatively empty, and plans for the future of Campbell remain unknown. In response to what the future of Campbell will look like next year, Rafanello said, “We continue to evaluate all of the Housing and Dining system each year, including finalizing the current third phase of the renovation of Noehren Hall, planning for a new roof in Roth and evaluating retail opportunities across campus.” 

Rafanello continued, “As we have continued to emphasize, students who live on campus for two years have higher persistence and graduation rates, as such the impact of the housing and dining plans will be to support student success and their achievements of their academic, professional, and personal goals.”