Posted on Apr 21, 2006

For the first time in more than 40 years, Murray State University will begin construction on a new housing facility. The new Clark College, which is expected to be open for occupancy in August 2007, will be an important step forward for Murray’s residential colleges system. A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, April 25, at 2 p.m. on Waldrop Street at the former site of the MSU housing office. “This will be the university’s first residential college that is built with that model [residential colleges] in mind,” said Dr. Don Robertson, vice president for student affairs at MSU. “This is really going to allow us to move that system along on campus.” Murray’s system was something of a prototype in the U.S. when it was implemented in the fall semester of 1996 due to MSU’s public education system status, and because all of its residential halls converted to the residential colleges system with all MSU students belonging to a residential college. Residential colleges systems have traditionally had their roots in private rather than public schools in the United States. The residential colleges system at Murray is patterned after those at British icons such as Oxford and Cambridge universities in England and U.S. heavyweights including Harvard and Yale. In this system, residence halls become more than just places for students to live. They divide the university into smaller units — units with which students can easily identify and be involved. The colleges are self-governing entities and enable students to form study groups within each college and take part in social, sports and special activities unique to their own college. Since Murray State converted to this system, the university has reached record enrollment for 10 consecutive years. They system was introduced to Murray State by then-President Kern Alexander, who is now serving as Murray’s interim president. Robertson is excited at the opportunity to build to the concept of the residential colleges. “This is significant from the student life standpoint,” he noted. “A major reason why students will leave a campus — any college campus — is that they never feel a part of it. Residential colleges are a real asset to the university in terms of both recruitment and retention. This system is just one more reason why a student should choose to come to MSU.” The new Clark College will be a four-story, 304-bed housing facility. Its capacity will exceed the old Clark by 38 beds — an important factor since the university has experienced housing overflows in the past. Amenities include large meeting rooms, study rooms, community kitchens, game rooms and laundry rooms. Most importantly, students will have a choice of sleeping room arrangements with singles, doubles, triples and suites with four private bedrooms included in the new structure. All rooms include bathrooms within the room or suite. “It is exciting to be moving aggressively toward the complete residential college model,” Robertson noted. “We hope to continue with this in the next few years.” MSU students, faculty and staff, as well as community members were on hand at the groundbreaking.