What's New:

Schurz/Bingham Project · FAQs

Schurz Hall Closes

December 2006

Potential Questions & some answers

Why is Schurz Hall closing in December?
The Schurz Hall renovation is part of an extensive 18-year Residential Life Master Plan (RLMP), which includes the construction of new and renovation of existing residence halls at MU.

Implementation and completion of projects on schedule is necessary to offer housing for the freshman class and returning students. Though four new residence halls are available South, Center, North and College Avenue halls we need to close Schurz hall in December to provide enough time for renovation before its planned reopening in August 2008.

Why use Schurz Hall at all this year?
Given the anticipated freshman class size for fall 2006 semester and the requests for accommodations from renewal students, we must use Schurz Hall for assignments during the fall semester. However, throughout the year, there is a seven 10 percent drop in building occupancy, so we know we'll have space for all Schurz residents when they need to relocate after the first semester. This drop is often the result of students who move into fraternity and sorority houses, study abroad, transfer to other universities, graduate or leave the university.

Will Residential Life help me move?
Absolutely. Residential Life staff want to make the transition to a new hall as smooth as possible. For those students who wish to stay in Schurz hall through the entire fall semester, Residential Life will hire a moving service to move your belongings over semester break from your assignment in Schurz to your new winter assignment in another residence hall. When you return to campus in January, you will find your belongings waiting for you in your new room.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide this service for students who move during the fall semester or those who move either to Greek Houses or off campus. Residential Life successfully provided this service for the relocation of Hatch students last winter, and we are glad to be able to provide this service again this year.

Details regarding the moving service and availability of boxes will be available to students later in the semester.

I don't want to live in Schurz; how do I change my assignment?
If you wish to request an assignment change, there are two options.

  1. Fill out a "request to change assignment" form with Residential Life by July 5. Keep in mind that by filling out this form, you are "dropping" your current assignment and will go through the reassignment process, which is based on remaining space available in residence halls in August. You may find that in the reassignment process, you are again assigned to Schurz Hall due to limited space available in other residence halls.
  2. Wait two weeks into the semester to request a room change. On Aug. 30, Schurz residents can begin to request to move to another hall. This allows you to select which residence hall you would like to move to. Requests are granted on a space-available basis, and Schurz Hall residents will receive priority if they sign up by Sept. 5.

When can I move out of Schurz?
You may choose to move out of Schurz Hall as soon as space is available in other locations, which will not be until several weeks into the semester, OR, you may choose to wait until the end of fall semester. Beginning Aug. 30, residents of Schurz will be able to sign up to either move to another room within Schurz Hall or sign up to move to another hall. The students in all other residence halls will need to wait until Sept. 6 to sign up to move to another hall, giving Schurz Hall students priority for between-hall moves if you sign up between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5.

You are able to move to another residence hall from Sept. 6 until Nov. 17. During that time, as room becomes available in other residence halls, you will be notified of available space to which to move.

For those students who choose not to move between Sept. 6 and Nov. 17, designated reassignments will happen between Dec. 4 and Dec. 15. Students can move when they receive their new assignment in December or pack belongings and leave them for a moving company to move during winter break. Residential Life will provide a moving company to move your belongings to your new assignment during the holiday break, so you can come back to your new assignment after the break. Details will be available in November, 2006.

Moving vs. re-assignment Aug. 30 Nov. 17 Students can "move" to another location of their choice (where space is available) on a first-come, first-served basis.

Nov. 18 Dec. 3 Room Change Freeze in order for Residential Life staff to organize and re-assign the available rooms, Residential Life must freeze room moves.

Dec. 4 Jan. 10 Beginning in December, you will receive your new assignment from Residential Life. This assignment will be for the winter semester, and rates will be equivalent to the rate of the second-semester residence hall.

Do I get to pick where I want to move?
If you request a move using the online system once classes begin, you will be able to select residence halls to which you'd like to move. You are not able to select your hall if you go through the second round of assignments in August because assignments are based on learning community/FIG preferences, amenity preferences and available spaces.

If you choose to wait and be reassigned in December, you will have the opportunity to state your hall preferences again. Assignments are made based on the availability of housing in your preferred building, so you will be asked to list several hall choices.

Can my roommate and I move somewhere else together?
We'll do our best. Keep in mind that roommates who want to stay together may not receive an assignment right away. That simply means that we're trying to find a completely open room for roommates to remain together. Chances that there will be a completely empty room in another residence hall to which you and your roommate will be able to move are difficult to predict.

The greatest chance to remain together for the year will be for those roommate pairs who stay in Schurz Hall for the entire semester, though we still cannot guarantee we will be able to keep you together.

How will we be notified about room assignments and other important information?
Residence halls are equipped with a phone line and voicemail through Information and Access Technology Services. Students MUST set up their voicemail in order to receive important messages from Residential Life including notification of moving information. In addition, students MUST CHECK UNIVERSITY E-MAIL (xxxxxx@mizzou.edu) AND VOICEMAIL in order to receive information about housing, parking permits and other issues related to Schurz Hall for the fall 2006 semester.

FAQs about CONSTRUCTION

What type of renovation will occur in Schurz Hall?
The Schurz Hall interior will be completely renovated. The following is a list of the renovations that are scheduled at this time:

  • Elevator cabs and controls will be replaced
  • Central air conditioning will be added
  • All bathrooms will be completely renovated down to tile and fixtures.
  • Renovated rooms will be a mixture of single and double rooms not suites. Schurz will consist of 32 single rooms and 232 double rooms.
  • Common areas such as social and study lounges will be renovated
  • An elevator will be added to the Schurz entry lobby to provide access to the upper and lower levels of Bingham Hall from Schurz.
  • ADA modifications to the interior and exterior of the building will be included.

Is there other construction going on in the area?
Right now, Hatch Hall is being renovated. This renovated hall will open next fall, in 2007, and will feature many of the same things Schurz Hall will offer upon its completion. Both halls need a little bit of a facelift - and we'll be adding air conditioning. These projects, going on now in Hatch, might cause a little extra noise in the area. The noise should be temporary since the majority of the work will take place inside Hatch Hall.

How much will it cost? Who's paying for it?
The project cost for Schurz and Bingham Hall renovation project is $22,187,000. The Residential Life Master Plan is implemented in five stages, with each stage financially self-supporting. At this time, Residential Life is not receiving financial assistance from outside donors or from state tax funds. Construction and renovation projects throughout this master plan are made possible through increased rates for new residence halls and the contributions of campus departments within the division of Student Affairs.

What time does construction begin?
Industry standards in Columbia, Missouri state that construction may begin as early as 6:30 a.m. In an effort to disrupt students as little as possible, Residential Life works with contractors to begin work closer to 7:30 a.m. Start times are determined by construction project schedules, so if necessary, work could begin as early as 7 a.m. some mornings. We do put a limit on the type of work that can occur during the last week of classes and finals week.

When will it be complete?
The Schurz Hall renovation will be complete by Aug.2008. For more information about the timeline for future renovation and construction, go to the RLMP Web site at http://reslife.missouri.edu/RLMP/.

Page Last Modified: 23/May/2006