For the first time since 2013, students will be allowed to live in Belk Residence Hall. But it’s not coming back exactly as it was.
Introduced in 1954, Belk is the second oldest residence hall on campus. Following the 2012-13 school year, it was closed for renovations, which strictly focused on the dorm’s community bathrooms, specifically the sinks. What used to be dated hardware is now on par with Albright’s and Barnhardt’s offerings.
But to upperclassmen yearning for independence, it’s more than just a simple sink upgrade.“For three years, everyone has wanted singles,” said Director of Residence Life Eddie Young about students’ demands since his arrival at the university.
In fact, having a room all to themselves is such a priority to some of the 553 students involved in last week’s room selection that they moved out of North, the only residence hall to fill to maximum capacity faster than Belk.
But why would some students leave their rooms in Byrum (previously known as South) or Wireman, where they have access to their “personal” bathroom, or North, where they have the opportunity to live off campus, for one of the 43 rooms in Belk?
In addition to having an unshared space they can call their own, the students moving into Belk are confident the upperclassmen maturity of their hallmates will yield a much different community bathroom experience then that witnessed in freshman community bath halls, said Assistant Director for Assignments Angel Parson.
Some students were also inclined to transition to Belk because they would not be completely responsible for maintaining a clean bathroom, she said.
A final change that will be ready for the next semester is not limited to those 43 students living in Belk, but includes all residential students.

Belk is back, and, next semester, students will once again have the opportunity to call it home.
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