Dorm Room Refresh
Written by Kat Steffen
Going into the 2022-2023 school year, the University of Sioux Falls is getting a refresh. There are plans to improve both Kroske and Burgess halls to give the freshman class an enhanced academic and social experience.
“We will be looking at doing a refresh in Kroske, which will be like the refresh we did in Grand Island (last summer). New flooring, new paint, replacing all the desks in Kroske. We are going to need two floors (Burgess) next year because we will have so many more students staying on campus next year than this year. Probably new flooring, dressers, and desks,” said Andrew Porteous, the Director of Student Life at USF.
Over spring break the Kroske communal kitchen was renovated. The kitchen was repainted and given new appliances to have a fresh modern feel. Student Life hopes to finish all renovations to Kroske and Burgess by Fall.
“At USF we have done bits and pieces each year. If you look at Kroske the desks are old, but the flooring is newer, and beds are the newest equipment in Kroske. We would like to get into a schedule. In GI last year we did new flooring and new paint, we ripped out the bookcases. Ideally, we would do GI, Kroske, Burgess, then CB, then Sullivan, then North and get on that rotation. The tricky part is conferences and camps on campus during the summer, if we have a camp with 150 students that want Sullivan for a month and a half, then it would be hard to get in and do anything meaningful. The ideal goal is to be on a rotation,” said Porteous.
One motivation behind the Grand Island renovations during the summer of 2021 was that there were bookshelves on the sides of the room that took up space. Student Life repainted the dorm rooms and opened spaces in hopes of improving residents’ mental health. Seasonal depression due to a lack of Vitamin D is common in the long harsh South Dakotan winters. With bigger and brighter dorms, residents may have more cheery outlooks.
“In terms of furniture, we are looking at putting down soft sitting furniture in cooper’s café. Give it a more café feel, we might be putting couches and a long wooden table in the Ward lobby. We will be getting new furniture mostly armchairs for Sullivan Hall and the Kroske common area. Maybe taking out some of the computers because there are a lot and not a lot of people use them, and that space can be used for something else,” said Porteous.
Renovations are not the only improvement project Student Life is working on. A phone app that will allow you to pay for laundry electronically, view how many washers and dryers are open, and see how much time is left for your load is being implemented as soon as the end of this school year.
“Because of COVID we haven’t been getting students together and we need to change that,” said Porteous.
In 2022 Fall Resident Hall councils will be implemented. Five or six residents who are not IMPACT Leaders will be on a council for each resident hall. These councils will be taken out to lunch or dinner once a month with either Porteous or Allan Idjao the Assistant Director of Student Life, and a Resident Director from another building. The intention of these councils is that students can tell Student Life about their building and give them honest feedback. For example, if something is broken or if the Resident Assistant is never there. Student Life wants these councils to tell them about their buildings without any fear of repercussions, that is why no IMPACT leaders are allowed to participate. Councils will be another way that freshmen who are keen to be student leaders can be involved during their first year.
Photos courtesy of Student Life
