With the start of the 2023-24 academic year, Tulane University in New Orleans also kicks off one of the biggest periods of growth in the campus's history. The opening of Lake and River residence halls, each with seven floors filled with single- and double-occupancy rooms, means the addition of nearly 700 new beds earmarked for returning students. It's all part of a larger plan to update the student residential experience, prepare for growing enrollment, and make space for moving from a two-year live-on requirement to a three-year program. Where these halls may make the largest difference for the campus, though, is the shared courtyard and community space that connects the buildings and will serve almost as a second student union. As Tulane President Michael Fitts noted upon the halls' opening, “Shared spaces ignite intellectual curiosity and offer opportunities for creative collisions and personal growth. River and Lake are designed for exactly that kind of engagement.”
The two residence halls are connected by a 14,000-square-foot student collaboration space dubbed The Hub. Its full name is the Small Family Collaboration Hub (named for donors Albert and Tina Small), and it includes a 200-seat theater, a 100-inch television, foosball and pool tables, classroom space, and other collaboration space. There also is a space called The Garage, which will host a rotating series of programs and student services as needs dictate. As an example, Timothy Lempfert, executive director of the housing department, said the space could be used for voter registration, drop-in academic advising, flu shot distribution, and other purposes.
— James A. Baumann