ODU To Build New Residence Hall and Add Football Program
March 25, 2003
The Ohio Dominican University Board of Trustees has approved plans to build a new residence hall on the University's Main Campus on Sunbury Road. It is expected that ground will break for the new residence facility within the next 90 days.
According to University President Jack Calareso, the residence hall is needed to accommodate the increasing enrollment that continues at the University. Ohio Dominican expects to have 1,000 resident students by 2007, compared to 349 currently.
"More traditional students are learning about what Ohio Dominican has to offer and after visiting our campus, are deciding to enroll," said University President Jack Calareso. "Fall 2002 represented our largest freshman class to date and we have every expectation that Fall 2003 will be even larger. But in order to accommodate increased enrollment, we must build more campus housing," he said.
The residence hall represents the first component of Phase One of the University's Master Plan, which projects the growth and expansion of campus facilities over the course of the next decade. The Master Plan creates nine future building sites for student residences that will offer students various housing options, such as apartments and suites.
Other major initiatives contained within the Master Plan include the construction of a multi-purpose Student Center and a new Study Center; development of Sunbury Road as a campus gateway; and expansion of the University's sports and recreation facilities. The new projects will be implemented in addition to ongoing facilities improvements and increased service to students and the entire Ohio Dominican community.
Several architectural firms have been identified and asked to submit proposals for construction of the new residence hall. The site of the student housing is yet to be finalized. It will be located either north of St. Albert's Hall, the science building on the Main Campus, or on a site west of Sunbury Road.
At its February 28th meeting, the Ohio Dominican Board of Trustees also approved a proposal to move forward with a football program. Football could be added to the University's roster of sports offerings as early as Fall 2004, but may not happen until Fall 2005. "A lot will depend on recruiting, both from a coaching and player standpoint. We are currently in the process of recruiting a football coach," Dr. Calareso said.
The addition of football and other athletic programs will strengthen student life as another component to student social and cultural activities. "Football, for example, not only provides events to attend on campus, but the collateral activities of pep rallies, homecoming and after-game social events, which add to the overall quality of campus life for the athlete and non-athlete," Dr. Calareso said. The addition of these sports programs will provide enrollment leverage and attract alumni/ae. "Based upon experiences at many similar institutions, expansion of athletic programs has repeatedly shown to significantly increase overall enrollment, both in terms of athletes, and in terms of students who are attracted as spectators. We also anticipate the expanded sports program will serve to increase alumni/ae participation in events as well as annual giving," he added.
In addition to football, the University will add seven new varsity sports: men's and women's golf; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's track and field; and men's volleyball. The new varsity sports will be introduced over the next three years, beginning this fall. Ohio Dominican currently sponsors nine intercollegiate sports: men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, softball and baseball. The University is a member of the American Mid-East Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Ohio Dominican University to Construct New Residence Hall