For the most part, adjustments to residential life at Emporia State University have gone as well as could be expected.
That’s the thought of Director of Residential Life Cass Coughlin, who says students are largely receptive to the university’s safety message.
Coughlin updated the raft of changes on KVOE’s Newsmaker 2 segment Monday. Changes were in two areas. For dorms, the suites are essentially at half capacity, while an increased number of double-occupancy rooms were offered as private single rooms. Mask usage is now standard and there is a second round of cleaning daily for bathrooms and common areas. A lot of students still wanted to have roommates, and Coughlin said that’s OK so long as they are doing their part to limit the virus spread.
Changes were also evident for dining spaces. The “little green clamshells” have been a hit, not only with students wanting meals on the go but also with other colleges and universities inquiring about their use. Students are also settling into a routine of making reservations for dining facilities based on a color scheme and then sitting in those color zones for their meals.
Coughlin also had good news about ongoing renovations to Abigail Morse Hall. Students will likely have a chance to move from Singular Hall to Abigail Morse this upcoming weekend. The original plan had Abigail Morse ready for students by the start of the fall semester, but staffing adjustments due to coronavirus and an occasionally wet spring delayed the process.
